In the resolution of 1 August, the council of EU foreign ministers called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities to be followed by a sustainable cease-fire." This was less than the demand for an "immediate cease fire", which the Finnish Presidency had first proposed.
Pressure from the British, Germans, Dutch, Czechs and Poles blocked the Presidency's draft resolution. The USA has also rejected calls for an immediate, unconditional cease fire, and Israel has indicated that it will continue the offensive for up to two more weeks.
However, with the compromise text the EU foreign affairs council managed to remain united.
It goes in the direction of what France had earlier demanded in the sense that it supports a UN backed political framework for a "lasting solution agreed by all parties".
This is clearly mentioned as a "necessary precondition for deployment of an international force" which "requires a strong mandate from the UN to act in support of a political settlement and the Lebanese armed forces."
This timeline is opposed by the USA, which backs the Israeli position that there can be no meaningful cease-fire or political agreement until an international military force is deployed to southern Lebanon.
The Finnish draft statement had said that an international force could not be sent to the region until a political agreement on the dispute had been reached.
The 1 August resolution states "EU Member States have indicated their readiness to contribute to such an operation together with international partners." But only after a framework has been established.
France, Italy, Finland, Poland, Sweden and Spain are all considering sending peacekeepers to Lebanon. EU candidate Turkey and Indonesia indicated that they may participate. It is expected that France would lead the force.
