The Rome conference on Lebanon achieved virtually nothing yesterday as participants could not agree on terms of a cease-fire between Israel and south Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema all appeared stone-faced at a press conference following discussions in the morning.

A statement read out by D'Alema on behalf of the co-chairs -- Italy and the United States -- said the participants "expressed their determination to work immediately to reach with the utmost urgency a cease-fire that put an end to the current violence and hostilities."

However, it added: "The cease-fire must be lasting, permanent and sustainable," virtually ruling out an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Rice repeated Washington's position that any cease-fire must address the root causes of the conflict, referring to Hezbollah and Syria and Iran.

Annan, on the other hand, asked for an immediate cessation of hostilities, saying a pause of the fighting would offer "crucial hours and days" for essential humanitarian tasks, including the distribution of relief aid and the evacuation of non-combatants and the wounded.

"I call on Hezbollah to stop its deliberate targeting of Israeli population centers. And I call on Israel to end its bombardments, blockades and ground operations," he told participants of the conference.

He also asked for the deployment of a UN-led international force in south Lebanon to help with humanitarian relief work in the short term and help the Lebanese government get control of the whole country and disarm militias including Hezbollah in the longer term.

The UN chief said a political framework is also needed to transform the temporary cease-fire into a longer-term peace.

He also asked for a "strong economic package" for the reconstruction of Lebanon.

Siniora, for his part, said his country wanted an immediate cease-fire. He cautioned that there is a lot to be done before a cease-fire can be achieved.

The more a cease-fire is delayed, more people will be killed and more destruction will take place, he told the press conference.

Scores of people are dying every day and his country is being cut into pieces, he said.

He became emotional when he was asked by an Israeli reporter whether he would have reacted differently to the abduction of two Israeli soldiers if he were in the shoes of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The current conflict started after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and kept them captive on July 12.

Siniora said Israel's retaliation has been disproportionate.

"Did any of the actions that Israel has committed over the years bring additional security and stability to Israel? Not at all," Siniora told reporters.

"What brings stability and safety is the ability of Israel to really build good relations with its neighbors."

He said to make peace in the Middle East is historic deeds that require a "historic man" from Israel to accomplish and that it is time for Israel to reflect on its policies toward its Arab neighbors.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy in his remarks at the conference also called for a cessation of hostilities as soon as possible and pledged 20 million U.S. dollars for Lebanon.

The statement of the co-chair said participants pledged their united determination to provide immediate humanitarian relief to the people of Lebanon. It also vowed to convene an international donor conference to raise funds for the country.

The statement said an international force should urgently be authorized under a UN mandate to help enable deployment of Lebanon' s government forces to all parts of the country and the disarming of militias. The south of the country is controlled by Hezbollah.