UN peace team heads to Israel from Lebanon

BEIRUT, July 17 (Reuters) A U N team sent to Lebanon to seek a solution to the fighting between Israel and Hizbollah said today it had made a promising start but warned that diplomacy was needed before there could be any optimism.

''I can announce today that we have made some promising first efforts on the way forward,'' Vijay Nambiar, chief of the U N delegation, said in a statement.

''My team has discussed concrete ideas with the Lebanese authorities. We leave shortly for Israel. There we will convey these ideas for further discussions,'' he said, adding that the team may return to Lebanon for further talks.

Nambiar said yesterday the world body supported the Lebanese government's call for a ceasefire but urged the release of the two Israeli soldiers captured by Hizbollah on Wednesday.

The guerrilla group's cross-border operation sparked an Israeli military offensive against Hizbollah targets and an array of civilian installations in Lebanon. Hizbollah responded by firing hundreds of rockets across northern Israel.

Nambiar said much diplomatic work was needed ''before we arrive at any grounds for optimism''.

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