End of Israeli blockade coming closer - UN general

PARIS, Sep 6 (Reuters) Israel is moving close to lifting a blockade on Lebanon, the commander of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon said today.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said yesterday he hoped to receive word on the lifting of the blockade within two days as the shape of a carefully orchestrated deal involving France, Italy and Germany emerged.

''I have the feeling that it is coming closer,'' Major-General Alain Pellegrini told France's Europe 1 radio when asked when the blockade could be lifted.

''I think the United Nations and the contributing countries are able to react very quickly,'' said Pellegrini, who is head of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

A 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.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy reiterated today that France was ready to help monitor the Lebanese coast. ''If (the Lebanese government) wants us to help, we can do that,'' Douste-Blazy told RMC radio.

A Lebanese political source has said the Beirut government had prepared a letter asking the United Nations to help patrol its coast, but would not send it until Israel had lifted its restrictions on flights in and out of Beirut.

Once that happens and the letter has gone, French and Italian naval ships would deploy off the Lebanese coast, meeting an Israeli demand for measures to stop Hizbollah rearming.

Five days later, Israel would lift its sea blockade, the Lebanese source said.

Pelligrini said the ceasefire in Lebanon remained fragile.

''It remains fragile as far as there is an Israeli presence in Lebanon because every incident, misunderstanding or provocation can escalate very quickly,'' he said.

REUTERS KR BST1356