960428

France claims

share of credit

for Lebanon truce

PARIS: France claimed a share of the credit for the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in south Lebanon on Friday, but conceded its diplomatic efforts had irritated Washington.

France said many of its ideas were included in Friday's truce to end Israel's 16-day bombardment of south Lebanon and Katyusha rocket attacks on northern Israel by pro-Iranian Hizbollah guerrillas.

President Jacques Chirac hailed the ceasefire and said "France shouldered with determination the obligations which its friendships in the region impose. The proposals it submitted to the parties very early on made progress.

"We welcome this, as we welcome the efforts achieved by the United States and by governments concerned in the region," he said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Herve de Charette, on a 13-day peace shuttle that has been criticised by French media as an ineffective sideshow compared to efforts by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, said "there are many French ideas in this accord".

But he conceded in an interview with France 2 television that his mission had "provoked a certain irritation, notably for the Americans, I can't deny it.

"But I think that all that's behind us and that in future French and Americans will work together to implement this accord," he said.

Israel made clear a week ago it preferred U.S. mediation.

"France is returning to the Middle East but it doesn't think it's alone. So everyone has to work together," de Charette said. France had a mandate over Lebanon and Syria between the two world wars.

Christopher was in Jerusalem alongside Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres on Friday to announce the ceasefire. De Charette sat alongside Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri as the premier announced the ceasefire simultaneously in Beirut.

The ceasefire will take effect at 4 a.m. (0100 GMT) on Saturday and will be monitored by a committee comprising the United States, France, Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

France said it was first to propose such a committee, although its April 16 proposal did not call for direct Syrian involvement. Reports from Lebanese officials this week said that Washington did not want France on the committee.

De Charette said France had also successfully proposed to have any understanding in writing.

De Charette has denied the French mission was a rival to U.S. mediation or aimed at upstaging the European Union, which is aiming to develop a common foreign policy.

De Charette was to visit Israel on Saturday for a final round of talks with Peres and Foreign Minister Ehud Barak before returning to France later in the day, officials said.

France pledged help to revive the Middle East peace process and promised to help reconstruction of areas shattered by bombardments.

Chirac had paid an official visit to Beirut only days before the fighting started, proclaiming his commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty and independence and calling for a greater European role in the Middle East peace process.-Reuter