EU draft seeks immediate Lebanon ceasefire

BRUSSELS, Aug 1 (Reuters) European Union foreign ministers are set to call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon after emergency talks in Brussels today, a draft statement obtained by Reuters showed.

The draft, circulated as ministers from the 25-nation bloc began a rare August meeting, also warned of breaches of international law in the three-week-old fighting between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas.

''The Council called for an immediate ceasefire,'' the draft statement said. ''Disregard for necessary precautions to avoid loss of civilian life constitutes a severe breach of international humanitarian law.'' The bloc had been divided over whether to demand an immediate ceasefire and a united call spells out a difference with the United States, which backs Israel and has refrained from urging an immediate halt to the violence.

Earlier in the day, EU president Finland branded Israel's decision to step up military action against Hizbollah guerrillas unacceptable.

REUTERS BDP KP1758