UK's Blair pushes for Lebanon accord; unease grows

LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair today telephoned world leaders in a bid to bridge differences over a United Nations resolution on Lebanon as political pressure mounted over his handling of the crisis.

Opposition from the Lebanese government to a Franco-American draft UN resolution to halt the war between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas has delayed a vote in New York.

Washington and Paris may submit a revised text after Security Council consultations later today.

Blair -- who has delayed joining his family on holiday to search for an agreement by telephone -- continued to speak to key players in the UN negotiations.

''We recognise the concerns on both sides, we are dealing with two countries which have deep rooted differences and the prime minister is working to bring some of those together,'' said a spokeswoman for Blair, when asked about Lebanon's resistance to the draft.

''The prime minister is committed to bringing about the earliest possible passage of a resolution,'' she said.

In recent days, Blair has spoken to US President George W Bush, French President Jacques Chirac and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The spokeswoman said she would update later in the day on Blair's telephone calls for today.

Despite the intense diplomacy, criticism of Blair's failure to call for an immediate end to the fighting in WAsia mounted today, adding to growing unease over his leadership of the Labour Party and his declining popularity.

Blair, who won a third straight election last year, has said he will not stand in the next election, expected in 2009.

Parts of the Labour Party had already been urging him to hand over to finance minister Gordon Brown, his presumed successor, sooner rather than later. His handling of the Lebanon crisis has added fresh voices to those calling for him to go.

In a survey of parliamentarians published by a pressure group, 204, including 119 from Labour, said they supported calls for an immediate ceasefire.

''The UK's failure to demand an immediate ceasefire from the outset has helped split the international community and has been seen as a green light to those wanting to continue the conflict,'' said Brendan Cox, of the Ceasefire Today group, which carried out the poll together with Crisis Action.

Many Britons think Blair has tied himself too closely to Bush on foreign policy, according to a recent opinion poll.

The criticism of Blair is in stark contrast to the political and public approval won by French President Jacques Chirac for his diplomatic efforts on Lebanon, according to French polls.

REUTERS SP BD1806