Special report: Israel-Lebanon Conflicts   [Video ][Gallery]

Special report: Israel, Lebanon agree on ceasefire

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    MADRID, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos on Monday called for a collective effort to achieve an "efficient" result in the Middle East peace process.

    "The influence of Europe is perhaps more effective than the simple power shown by the United States" for achieving peace between Israel and three other parties in the region -- Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, Moratinos said in a public lecture at Menendez Pelayo International University.

    "Military power has not managed to solve the problems of Lebanon, but perhaps political influence can guarantee Israel's security" against the katyusha rockets fired by Lebanon-based guerilla group Hezbollah, he added.

    Moratinos urged the European Union to act on its own initiative as the United States could not solve the problem "even at the best of times for the U.S. administration."

    He said it was wrong of people to think that the United States only helped Israel and that Europe only helped the Arab nations.

    "This is not the case, neither in Spain, nor in Europe as a whole," Moratinos said, stressing that Spain had first condemned Hezbollah's abduction of two Israeli soldiers.

    Meanwhile, he said the Spanish government's plan to send troops to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon needed approval from parliament.

    On Friday, Spain said it would send 800-1,000 soldiers to join the enlarged UN Interim Force in Lebanon. It would be the country's largest single armed operation overseas. Enditem