UK's Blair sees real chance of Lebanon resolution

SAN FRANCISCO, July 31 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Sunday he saw a real chance of getting a UN resolution that could bring about a complete halt to fighting between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas.

He called for maximum restraint in the region and maximum pressure to get the UN Security Council resolution passed.

''We have a real chance of getting a UN Security Council resolution which will give us the opportunity both to have a complete cessation of hostilities, not merely temporary but complete, and do so on a sustainable and lasting basis,'' he told reporters yesterday during a visit to San Francisco.

He was speaking after Israel suspended air strikes on southern Lebanon for 48 hours after a raid on the Lebanese village of Qana killed at least 54 civilians, mostly children, and triggered worldwide demands for a truce.

In Israel, just before returning to the United States, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she would call for a UN cease-fire resolution this week.

Mr Blair, who has been engaged in a flurry of diplomatic activity since he arrived in the United States on Friday, said getting the UN resolution would still require a lot of work and negotiations would continue through the night.

''Everyone is going to have to exercise maximum restraint and maximum pressure and will to get the Security Council resolution agreed,'' he said.

''But if it is agreed, I see no reason why we shouldn't both have the cessation of hostilities in a complete way that everyone wants to see and also that we do so in a way that the resolution actually deals with the underlying causes of this,'' he said.

This meant creating security for Israel, the taking back by the Lebanese government of full control of its country and reconstruction, Mr Blair said.

''It is clear now there is a chance, there is the will and I think the elements of this package can be agreed relatively quickly,'' he said.

''We should agree them as quickly as we can, get the resolution down, get it agreed and then get the situation that everyone wants to see which is an end to the hostilities and a chance for people to rebuild,'' he said.

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