UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- A draft UN resolution agreed by France and the United States on Saturday calls for "full cessation of hostilities" by Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon which have been involved in a bloody conflict since July 12.

    The draft calls for "a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations."

    It also expresses "its utmost concern at the continuing escalation of hostilities in Lebanon and in Israel since Hezbollah's attack on Israel on 12 July 2006, which has already caused hundreds of deaths and injuries on both sides, extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons."

    The draft also sets conditions for a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution, including the full respect for the Blue Line by both parties, the delineation of the international borders of Lebanon, security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities and the deployment of an international force in Lebanon.

    The UN Security Council is due to meet at 3 p.m. (1900 GMT) to discuss the draft which will be likely adopted in the next few days.

    U.S. and French ambassadors to the United Nations had been involved for the past few days in exclusive discussions on a France-sponsored draft that would call for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" and set conditions for a permanent cease-fire and a lasting political settlement. Enditem