Vitaly Churkin said the Russian delegation had decided to initiate a three-day "humanitarian ceasefire" as no consensus had been reached on a resolution drafted by France and the United States on ending hostilities or principles of a sustainable political settlement.
"Unfortunately, at this stage we have come to the conclusion that this [French-U.S.] resolution will not be adopted any time soon," he said. "Russia is proposing that the 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire be used for emergency diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict."
He said there was no rivalry and that if the Americans and the French proposed a more fundamental draft resolution, Russia would give way.
Churkin said he had informed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan about the Russian initiative, and he had supported it, adding that the vote on the Russian draft was to be held Friday evening.
The main stumbling block in the French-U.S. draft resolution on the armed conflict, which broke out July 12, is that it contains no provision on the pullout of Israel troops from southern Lebanon.
