Mideast talks fail to reach cease-fire agreement

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ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Talks between key Middle East players in Rome on a plan for ending the 15-day-old conflict in Lebanon Wednesday failed to reach agreement on an immediate cease-fire.

The stormy meeting, which saw the United States pitted against European and Arab leaders, resulted in calls for a truce but little concrete action to end the fighting that has killed more than 300 civilians.

The meeting called for the formation of a U.N.-authorized force to help the Lebanese government exert its control over southern Lebanon. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the international community will be discussing the formation of that force in "the next few days."

She said such a force needs to be "strong and robust to bring about peace."

There were also agreements on humanitarian aid and reconstruction.(Why cease-fire efforts failed -- 2:26 )

A statement read by Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema -- who co-chaired the talks with Rice -- said the conference had agreed "immediately to reach with the utmost urgency a cease-fire that puts an end to the current violence and hostilities." (Text of Rome statement)

But with the United States resisting demands for an immediate cease-fire, insisting that a cessation of hostilities must be part of a wider plan to permanently disarm Lebanese Hezbollah militants, there was no crucial cease-fire deal.

Rice said she had been moved by an impassioned plea by Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to "stop the killing" but said the U.S. favors long-term efforts to end "spasms of violence" in the region.

Siniora, who said his country was being "cut to pieces" by the Israeli retaliation against Hezbollah, said he came to Rome hoping for a plan on reaching a cease-fire.

He said "some progress" had been made and urged the international community to press forward on actions that would end the Israeli military campaign and leave his government in control of the entire country, including the south, which is now controlled by Hezbollah.

The Israeli government, which was not invited to the Rome meeting, said Wednesday it hopes the "international community will act immediately to strengthen the Lebanese army" so that it can take charge of south Lebanon.

In its statement, Israel said it wants a U.N. resolution calling for Lebanese militias to be disarmed and a G8 statement calling for the release of all abducted soldiers.

"Israel is forced to continue to defend its citizens because of the failure to implement these resolutions until now," the statement read.

Tensions were raised during the discussions -- involving United States, the United Nations, European Union countries, Arab states such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia as well as Canada, Russia, Cyprus and Turkey --by the deaths of four U.N. military observers in an Israeli attack on a U.N. outpost. (Full story)

The incident, claimed as a mistake by Israel, has been condemned by the international community, with Annan describing it as "apparently deliberate."

With the violence still ongoing, participants said they agreed to continue discussions, but CNN's John King said there was a sense among European and Arab leaders that the United States was buying time for Israel in its offensive against Hezbollah.

One source involved in the talks said everyone but the United States wanted to press ahead with an immediate cease-fire, but Rice argued that taking that approach would leave Hezbollah in place and still armed with its rockets.

Rice also expressed concern over what she said was Iran and Syria's involvement in the conflict, while Annan said that future dialogue should involve Tehran and Damascus.

A senior U.N. diplomat described the mood in the talks as somber. He said everyone but the United States wanted cessation of fighting to make room for more negotiations and humanitarian aid.

"This wouldn't require much contact between parties, and you can build on this for a political dialogue, but the United States wants formal cease-fire as part of a comprehensive deal, return of soldiers, etc.," the source said.

There was agreement on humanitarian and reconstruction packages, but those can't be implemented with the fighting continuing.

Rice's appearance in Rome came after visits to Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories, carrying the outline of a proposal calling for a plan that would extend the Lebanese government's control over southern Lebanon.

The plan included up to two international military forces with the charge of ending the fighting and keeping the peace.

The U.S. deal would include a prisoner swap, a withdrawal of the Israeli army now in southern Lebanon, and transfer of the disputed Shebaa Farms area to Lebanon.

Siniora called on Israel to return the Shebaa Farms area to Lebanon and to provide a map of mine fields planted in southern Lebanon by Israel.

CNN's John King and Elise Labott contributed to this story

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