France agrees in principle to Lebanon naval mission

PARIS, Sep 5 (Reuters) France said today it had agreed in principle to a UN request for the French navy to help monitor the Lebanese coast.

The deployment of foreign navies is designed to persuade Israel to lift a blockade of Lebanon's ports that has been in place since the start of the month-long war between Israel and Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas on July 12.

An official in President Jacques Chirac's office said details of an eventual deployment, including rules of engagement, still had to be worked out.

In Egypt, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he hoped the next 48 hours would bring positive news on the lifting of the Israeli air and sea embargo.

But Israel reiterated the blockade would stay in place until Hizbollah was prevented from rearming.

In an interview with the New York Times, Mr Annan said he hoped French, Italian and Greek vessels would patrol the Lebanese coast for the next two weeks, until a promised German fleet arrived.

France has a few naval vessels deployed off the Lebanese coast and could move the ships into position quickly once the navy gets the order.

REUTERS SHB KP2108