SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE AND SEVERAL ARAB NATIONS MET WEDNESDAY WITH THE AIM OF AGREEING ON A PLAN FOR ENDING MORE THAN TWO WEEKS OF FIGHTING BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON. FOREIGN MINISTERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS FROM 18 NATIONS, AS WELL AS THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN, GATHERED AT ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTRY FOR A MEETING EXPECTED TO LAST JUST A FEW HOURS. UNDER DISCUSSION WILL BE CALLS FOR A CEASE-FIRE AND THE POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT OF A MULTINATIONAL FORCE TO STABILIZE LEBANON'S BORDER WITH ISRAEL AND HELP DISARM HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS, EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIALS WERE QUOTED AS SAYING BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
