The United Nations Security Council appeared to have reached an agreement on a resolution aimed at ending the military conflicts between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday (Aug. 8th).

"An agreement between the members of the Security Council appears now to have been reached," Steinmeier said on state television before leaving for a trip to the Middle East, part of the renewed international efforts to end the hostility in the region.

A resolution would constitute "a real chance for a necessary, urgent ceasefire in the Middle East," he said.

A ceasefire would only be possible "on condition that both parties, Israel as much as Lebanon, agreed on the installation of an international stability mission in southern Lebanon," he said.

It was now a question "of working to get (the text) accepted in the region," he said.

"That is the reason for my visit" to the Middle East, Steinmeier added.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Ministry spokesman Jens Ploetner said Steinmeier hoped to persuade Syria, which Israel accuses of arming Hezbollah, to contribute to peace efforts in the region.

"We would try to convince Syria to show a more positive attitude," Ploetner said.

"We do not know whether this is possible but it is worth trying," the spokesman said.

Steinmeier is expected to meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on Tuesday before flying to Jerusalem for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday. He will also meet in Ramallah with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday.

The draft resolution, presented to the 15-member Security Council by the United States 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 consensus 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 its territory.

Israel has not formally commented on the draft. But a senior government official said his country sees it favorably, partly because it allows soldiers to stay in southern Lebanon before an international force can take over.

France and the United States said Monday that they might consider making changes to their draft UN resolution.

France's UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere promised Monday to take into account Lebanon's concern that the draft does not seek the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The United States also hinted that change would probably be made to the text following strong action and criticism from Lebanon and other Arab nations.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States would consider changes only if they make sense.

"We're going to listen to those points of view. If they make sense, then we'll certainly consider them," the spokesman said.

The Security Council will hold an open debate on Tuesday with Arab League representatives traveling to the United Nations to press for changes to the draft.

Editor: Donald