Friday, August 11 2006 14:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: French and American negotiators appeared to have narrowed down differences over a UN Security Council draft resolution on the conflict in Lebanon, prompting optimism that an agreement aimed at ending the fighting in Lebanon could soon be reached.

There was optimism for more progress on Friday, with France prepared to accept a "progressive" withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said he was expecting an agreement on the UN draft to be placed before the Security Council "at any moment" while his British counterpart Margaret Beckett interrupted a vacation to catch a plane to New York.

Douste-Blazy said France wants above all a cessation of hostilities, so it was prepared to accept the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops.

French ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere and US ambassador John Bolton, the leading negotiators of the UN draft, ended another round of talks Thursday hoping a vote could come soon.

"It is entirely possible we could have a vote tomorrow (Friday)," Bolton told reporters.

"But I wouldn't put odds on it," he said.

Russia late Thursday submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for a 72-hour cessation of hostilities for humanitarian purposes.

The draft came into being amid speculation that the American and French negotiators may have settled some of the differences regarding the timing of the deployment of peacekeepers to and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

A French diplomat said the negotiators had sent their proposals to capitals for study.

France and the US had disagreed over when Israel should withdraw from Lebanon. France demanded that Israeli troops leave as soon as Lebanon deploys 15,000 of its troops to the south of the country as promised.

The US supported the Israeli position of staying put until a robust international security force is deployed to the region.

Washington was concerned the Lebanese force would not be capable of preventing Hezbollah from launching missile attacks on Israel from southern Lebanon.