European Union (EU) foreign ministers failed on Tuesday to call for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah as initially proposed by Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency.

Instead, they called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities to be followed by a sustainable cease-fire."

The outcome of Tuesday's extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers, at least in the eyes of European Parliament head Josep Borrell, is a failure.

"The Council (of foreign ministers) must adopt a clear resolution today calling for an immediate cease-fire by both sides. Anything else will be a failure for the EU," Borrell told an extraordinary Conference of Presidents, which organizes the work of the parliament and its bodies, earlier Tuesday.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, who chaired Tuesday's foreign ministers' meeting, confirmed at the Conference of Presidents that the draft conclusions of the foreign ministers' meeting did contain an appeal for an immediate cease-fire.

The wording has to be changed in the final document owing to resistance of Britain and Germany, it is widely reported.

At a press conference after the foreign ministers' meeting, Tuomioja, however, denied there were divisions among the member states.

"I can affirm that there are no divisions in the European Union," he said.

Tuomioja also tried to blur the line between an immediate cessation of hostilities and an immediate cease-fire.

"From the point of view of the people who are under threat (of violence), there is no difference."

He argued that the most important thing is that the threat be removed.

Tuomioja said the EU hopes the UN Security Council can be rapidly convened to define a political framework for a lasting solution agreed by all parties.

Such a framework is a necessary precondition for deployment of a UN-mandated international force in south Lebanon, he said.

EU member states have indicated that, once the political framework is established, they would be ready to contribute troops to the international force, he added.

For the first time since the outbreak of the crisis three weeks ago, the EU ministers condemned Israel for its attacks on civilians.

"The Council condemns the death of innocent civilians, mostly women and children, in an Israeli air strike on the Lebanese village of Qana," reads the final document.

The sentence has a semantic problem by saying "condemns the DEATH of innocent civilians," probably as a result of the ministers ' unwillingness to see Israel immediately follow the word "condemns."

The ministers, of course, condemned Hezbollah first -- in a grammatically sound sentence. "The Council condemns the rocket attacks by Hezbollah on Israel."

They also deplored the killing by Israel of four UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon last week, saying "all attacks against UN personnel are unacceptable."

They expressed their "utmost concern" at the civilian casualties and human suffering, the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the increased number of internally displaced persons following the escalation of violence.

The ministers also endorsed a seven-point peace plan proposed by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, saying the plan can be a good basis for a lasting solution.

Any solution must include the return of abducted soldiers and prisoners, a settlement of the international borders of Lebanon, deployment of the Lebanese armed forces through the whole of its territory, backed by an international force, and the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, said the final document.

The EU reiterated its determination to work with the international community to bring humanitarian relief to the people of Lebanon and called on all parties to grant secure and efficient passage for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

So far the EU and its member states have committed over 56 million euros (72 million U.S. dollars) to the relief efforts, with another 52 million euros (67 million dollars) in pledges.