Visiting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that he was confident that the UN Security Council would pass a resolution this week to put an end to fighting between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

"I am more confident that an agreement will be reached this week and I hope that it will become the basis for a ceasefire," Steinmeier said after a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh.

Arab countries have called for amendments to the draft Security Council resolution, demanding it include an immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from south Lebanon.

An Arab delegation is currently in New York to press the UN Security Council for changes to the draft resolution.

Steinmeier also hailed the Lebanese government's decision to deploy some 15,000 soldiers to south Lebanon as Israel withdraws its forces from the area.

"Germany welcomes the Lebanese decision to send 15,000 soldiers to the south...", Steinmeier said, adding, "I think this will lead to an end (to the conflict) which we all want to witness."

In addition, the top German diplomat said that he had discussed with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora over the latter's seven-point plan to end the violence between Israel and Hezbollah.

The plan includes an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of prisoners, putting the disputed Shebaa Farms under the UN control, sending the Lebanese army into south Lebanon and expanding an existing UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon.

Steinmeier, who arrived in Lebanon earlier in the day in an diplomatic tour to defuse the ongoing Israel-Lebanon crisis, is also scheduled to visit Cyprus, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Violence between Israel and Hezbollah entered the 28th day on Tuesday, leaving over 1,000 Lebanese and 100 Israelis dead.