Lebanon PM renews call for quick ceasefire

BEIRUT, Aug 7 (Reuters) Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora today renewed demands for a quick ceasefire with Israel and called for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from south Lebanon.

Choking with emotions as he described his people's suffering during 27 days of conflict, Siniora told Arab foreign ministers at an emergency meeting in Beirut that he remained committed to a seven-point peace plan endorsed by his cabinet.

''We need a quick and decisive ceasefire,'' he told the meeting.

''It is imperative that the Israeli enemy stops its aggressive actions and withdraw immediately ..., hand it (territory) over to international forces, exchange prisoners, and reveal land mine maps.'' The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, the return of displaced Lebanese to their homes, and the deployment of UN and Lebanese forces in the south, along with the disarmament of Hizbollah.

The foreign ministers flew into Beirut on special flights from Jordan, Syria and Egypt as the fighting raged between Israel and Hizbollah.

Siniora struggled to hold back his tears as he urged Arab countries to help bring an end to the war which he said had killed about 1,000 and displaced more than a million people.

''The confidence I'm speaking to you with is based on the sorrows of widowed mothers, dead children and the cries of the displaced all the lessons of this setback that has set our country and your country Lebanon decades to the past,'' Siniora said in a choking voice and with his eyes filling in tears.

The foreign ministers gave Siniora a standing ovation after his speech.

The Shi'ite Islamic group says it will fight on until Israel stops bombing Lebanon and pulls out its forces. Israel is pressing ahead with its offensive while world powers struggle to agree a UN resolution to end the fighting.

Opposition from Lebanon caused the United States and France to delay a vote on a UN resolution. They may submit a revised text after Security Council consultations later in the day.

Lebanon's government has demanded that the US-French draft UN resolution include a call for an immediate withdrawal of some 10,000 Israeli troops from its soil.

REUTERS SP RN1913