Blair says Lebanon force agreement possible in days

SAN FRANCISCO, July 29 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today he believed it was possible to get agreement on a peacekeeping force for Lebanon within days and that this could clear the way for a cease-fire.

Blair and US President George W Bush agreed in talks in Washington yesterday to speed up diplomacy for a UN resolution aimed at halting violence between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and establishing a multinational force.

Asked if he believed it was possible to get agreement on a multinational force and even a cease-fire within days, Blair told a BBC television interviewer: ''I think that it is possible to do that, provided we are clear about the ambitions.'' ''You won't get the force actually in (to Lebanon) within a few days but I think you could get agreement in principle to the international stabilization force. You then have to work out the details of it,'' he said.

''I think you could get a United Nations resolution based on an agreement between the governments of Israel and Lebanon and I think if people can see then a pathway to a proper, stable lasting resolution of the conflict then I think you can get a cease-fire, yes,'' said Blair, who is in San Francisco during a five-day US visit.

Blair has come under strong criticism in Britain for supporting Bush and refraining from calling for an immediate cease-fire.

He denied in the interview that he was giving a green light to the Israelis to do what they wanted.

''What is happening in the Lebanon is absolutely terrible for the people there. ... But you're not going to resolve it unless you can get the cease-fire on both sides,'' he said.

REUTERS SRS BST0135