Visiting French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy on Wednesday urged Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon and said France is ready for an important role in an enlarged UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

"The lifting of the blockade is important for (Lebanon's) reconstruction and resumption of economic activity," said the minister after meeting with Saad Hariri, head of the Lebanese parliamentary majority.

After holding talks with his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh, Douste-Blazy said France was ready to participate in a strengthened UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), "but the Lebanese army should deploy in southern Lebanon first."

"France considers that it is indispensable that many other countries participate in this strengthened UNIFIL," he said, noting French President Jacques Chirac would make the "right decision at the right time" on France's UNIFIL participation.

The diplomat also urged the Lebanese government to boost its supervision so as to ensure that the government troops would be the sole military power in areas south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

He regarded the disarmament of the militia group of Hezbollah as Lebanon's internal affair, and expressed his appreciation of the successful talks held by Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on the issue.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 last Friday, calling for an Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon and authorizing an increase of the existing UNIFIL troops to 15,000 from 2,000to help Lebanese troops take control of south Lebanon, a traditional stronghold of Hezbollah.

French general Alain Pellegrini currently heads UNIFIL, which is joining an estimated 15,000 Lebanese government troops who are to move south of the Litani River, about 30 km from Lebanon's border with Israel.

Italy, Turkey, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia have also expressed their willingness to contribute troops to the expanded UNIFIL.

Source: Xinhua