NPR: Morning Edition with host Renee Montagne

Renee Montagne: As the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah goes on, members of the U.N. Security Council are arguing over a resolution that might end the war. Lebanon is seeking an immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops. The resolution's sponsors, France and the United States, are at odds over the matter.

Joining me now to talk about the state of the diplomacy is U.N. Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown.

Good morning.

Mark Malloch Brown (Deputy Secretary General, United Nations): Good morning.

Montagne: Could you please break down for us the issues that are being wrestled over in trying to adopt a resolution to end this conflict?

Mark Malloch Brown: Now, the two issues which really separate the negotiators are, one, the circumstances and timing of an Israeli withdrawal back to their side of the border. And second, the composition and mandate of an international force that would come in to support the Lebanese army in asserting its sovereignty over the south.

Montagne: How can an agreement be reached, though, when one side insists that Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon - that would be the U.S. and Israel, perhaps - and one side insists that they withdraw immediately?

Mark Malloch Brown: Well, obviously, like in so many diplomatic issues, the thing is can you split the difference? So that those who want immediate withdrawal get the timetable and the assurance the Israelis are going. And Israelis and Americans get the assurance that the departure will be accompanied by a realistic prospect that the Israeli border is going to be secure afterwards.

Montagne: Well, the whole question of the deployment of the Lebanese army down to the border, you know, it's a bit of a complicated one. But what do you make of Hezbollah actually welcoming it? That might be a bad sign in a way.

Mark Malloch Brown: Well, I mean I think Hezbollah has a political mind, whatever its nasty terrorist military tactics. And you know, its calculation is that if indeed there is a political settlement, which in Hezbollah's mind would go further than just Israeli - Israel leaving southern Lebanon but which would quickly resolve other outstanding issues, such as the disputed territory of the Shaaba Farms, that if these conditions were met it would be enough in it for Hezbollah to be able to claim victory and therefore to accept that it should give up its arms in the south because its fellow Lebanese brothers - Lebanese army - would be insuring the sovereignty of Lebanon in the south and Hezbollah would be free to be a very well organized political party in the south, but not one bearing arms.

Montagne:Now, speaking about that international peacekeeping force, what is the status of the makeup of that force? And - just briefly.

Mark Malloch Brown: Well, it's a Catch-22, because all nations really want to see what the mandate of the force is and that the key criteria is, you know, how tough has it got to be in its confrontation with Hezbollah? Is it just policing a voluntary serious agreement by Hezbollah to put down its arms? Or is it somehow intended to disarm Hezbollah? The closer towards the first it is, the key country that everybody is looking to, to see whether it will be willing to lead such a force, is France.

Montagne: Do you have a yes or no answer on the possibility of a vote on this resolution this week?

Mark Malloch Brown: No. But I think everybody recognizes this resolution has to go one way or another this week. It either has to be voted or adopted...

Montagne: Right.

Mark Malloch Brown: ...or it fails with the likelihood of more fighting.

Montagne: Thank you, U.N. Secretary - U.N. Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown.