BRUSSELS, Aug 1: European Union foreign ministers called on Tuesday for an immediate end to hostilities in Lebanon but dropped a demand for an instant ceasefire at the insistence of the United States’ closest allies in the bloc.

A statement adopted at a rare August crisis meeting of the 25-nation EU said: “The Council calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to be followed by a sustainable ceasefire.”

The convoluted formula emerged from four hours of talks as Israel intensified attacks on Hezbollah and vowed to step up ground operations, defying calls to halt an onslaught sparked by the capture of two Israeli soldiers on July 12.

An initial draft proposed by the EU’s Finnish presidency had said flatly: “The Council called for an immediate ceasefire.”

But Britain, backed by Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark, insisted on the alternative wording and unanimity is required for EU foreign policy statements.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, who chaired the talks, denied the bloc was split and said the meaning was the same: “There are no divisions in the EU ... This means there will be no shooting, no killing. There is no difference.”

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the idea of a phased halt to the fighting corresponded to a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that Paris has circulated.

That proposes a framework for an end to fighting, principles of a political settlement, a permanent ceasefire and the deployment of an international stabilisation force.

“Once this framework has been established, EU member states have indicated their readiness to contribute to such an operation together with international partners,” ministers said.—Reuters