France and the United States said Monday that they may consider making changes to their draft UN resolution calling for an end to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah following a strong backlash from Arab nations including Lebanon.

France's UN ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said Monday that the proposed resolution is a good one because it addresses the immediate question of the cessation of hostilities and the issue of a sustainable solution and a sustainable cease-fire."

So it is a good draft and I am going to continue today to continue to improve it," the French envoy told reporter before the start of a Security Council consultation on the Mideast crisis. "We have to take into account the concerns of all."

Washington, which has been pushing for an early vote by the council, also hinted that changes would probably be made to the text following strong reaction and criticism from Lebanon and other Arab nations meeting in Beirut.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. would only considers changes only if they make sense, adding that it was still hopeful of a vote soon.

"We're going to listen to those points of view. If they make sense, then we'll certainly consider them," McCormack said. The 15-member Security Council would hold a public debate on Tuesday with Arab League representatives traveling to the United Nations to press for changes, said Ghanian Ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng, the council's president for August, after attending the council's morning session.

Diplomats said that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who said over the weekend she wanted a vote Monday or Tuesday, was expected to go to the UN in New York although the State Department spokesman did not confirm it.

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said the council would consider the views of the Arab delegates carefully before putting the draft to a vote.

"We will listen to reactions to other council members and consider possible modifications in the text," Bolton said, adding that it was impossible to please everyone and U.S. and French officials had been in touch with Lebanon and Israeli authoritie swhen they drafted the text.

The draft, presented to the Security Council by the U.S. and France on Saturday, calls for "a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations."

It also asks Israel and Lebanon to reach agreement on a series of principles for a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution before the council could adopt a second resolution authorizing an international force to be deployed in Lebanon.

Lebanon has rejected the draft, accusing it of failing to call for a withdrawal of some 10,000 Israeli troops from it territory.

Lebanon wants the text to call on Israel "upon the cessation of hostilities to hand over the positions it holds in Lebanon to UNIFIL and withdraw forces behind the Blue Line," and that within 72 hours of the truce, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) would hand over a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army.

The council was not expected to adopt a resolution on Tuesday because of the scheduled convening of the open debate to be attended by Arab League representatives including Secretary General Amr Mussa, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassemal-Thani and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdallah bin Zayed.

Editor: Donald