U.S., France near deal on Mideast draft

[tocqueville]

By NICK WADHAMS, Associated Press Writer
11 minutes ago

UNITED NATIONS - The United States and France were close to a deal on a Security Council resolution aimed at ending the monthlong conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and could break the diplomatic deadlock at last on Friday. But diplomats said they were still trying to overcome last-minute Lebanese objections to the draft.

Increasingly impatient that diplomacy has taken so long, Russia introduced its own resolution Thursday calling for a blanket 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire in Lebanon. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin sounded an alarm that the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon was reaching "catastrophic" proportions and said it was too urgent for diplomacy to go on much longer.

The Russian resolution also urged "extraordinary diplomatic efforts" for a deal on the U.S.-French draft. Churkin said he hoped his proposal would give them a renewed sense of urgency.

"War is raging in Lebanon and the humanitarian situation is getting catastrophic," Churkin said. "We hope it will focus minds, it will energize politicians and diplomats," Churkin said

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060811/ap_on_re_mi_ea/un_mideast_fighting

[uppityperson]

1. More innocents are dying to help focus minds, energize pols&diplomats

I spit on thier feet.

[MoseyWalker]

2. thank the gods

I would have hoped that the people who are actually lobbing missiles and bombs at each other would have had something to say, but thank the gods that the US and French have agreed to a meaningless pile.