WASHINGTON, July 28: British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Iran and Syria on Friday that they face ‘the risk of increasing confrontation’ unless they reformed their behaviour in the Middle East.

“Iran and Syria have a choice. And they may think that they can avoid this choice; in fact, they can’t,” Mr Blair said while talking to reporters after talks at the White House with US President George Bush.

“They can either come in and participate as proper and responsible members of the international community, or they will face the risk of increasing confrontation,” said Mr Blair.

At the same briefing President Bush announced that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would return to the Middle East on Saturday and said a multinational force should be deployed ‘quickly’ in Lebanon.

“Tomorrow, Secretary Rice will return to the region,” Mr Bush said.

Mr Blair said world powers would meet at the United Nations on Monday to discuss the possible deployment of a UN ‘stabilisation force’ for Lebanon.

Mr Bush said the United States and Britain had agreed on the need to ‘quickly’ send a multinational force to Lebanon.

“We agree that a multinational force must be dispatched to Lebanon quickly to augment the Lebanese army as it moves to the south of that country.”

“An effective multinational force will help speed delivery of humanitarian relief, facilitate the return of displaced persons and support the Lebanese government as it asserts full sovereignty over its territory and guards its borders,” he said.

Neither London nor Washington has called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, but have insisted on the need for a long-term solution.

Mr Blair’s spokesman said British diplomacy was ‘roughly’ in tune with that of others like France and Germany.

Exposing a rift, however, French President Jacques Chirac released a statement pressing for the quick adoption of a UN resolution calling for an ‘immediate ceasefire’ in the Middle East.

BLAIR AT HOME: Mr Blair also faced pressure at home, where 42 leading figures signed a letter calling for him to ally Britain to the United Nations and demand an immediate ceasefire.—AFP