U.S. President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair say a multinational force must be sent to Lebanon soon, and are calling for a long-term solution to violence.

The two leaders, speaking at a joint news conference at the White House following their talks, said they also agree that a UN Security Council resolution must be introduced next week.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be heading back to the region on Saturday to help Israel and Lebanon come up with a UN resolution, Bush said.

"This is a moment of intense conflict in the Middle East,'' Bush said. "Yet our aim is to turn it into a moment of opportunity and a chance for broader change in the region.''

As Bush and Blair spoke in Washington, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was calling on countries interested in participating in an international force for Lebanon to meet at UN headquarters on Monday to begin planning.

Blair called what is happening in the Middle East "a complete tragedy" but warned that a longer-term framework needs to be put in place to end violence for good.

"Nothing will work, unless, as well as an end to the immediate crisis, we put in place the measures necessary to prevent it from occurring again.

"We take this opportunity to set out and achieve a different strategic direction for the whole of that region,'' Blair said.

Meanwhile, Bush called on Syria to "become an active participant in the neighbourhood for peace."

Ceasefire pressures

The latest eruption in violence began in Lebanon after Hezbollah militants kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others on July 12.

Bush and Blair stood united today against increasing pressures to call an immediate ceasefire in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Beirut.

Many had hoped that world powers would agree to call a ceasefire at a summit on the crisis in Rome on Wednesday, but that did not happen.

Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon said that because a ceasefire was not called for, it gave Israel a green light to continue its bombardment in southern Lebanon.

Washington rejected that statement as "outrageous."

"The United States is sparing no effort to bring a durable and lasting end to this conflict," said State Department spokesman Adam Ereli.

Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking on CTV's Canada AM Friday, said the violence will not stop until Hezbollah is "taken out."

"This has got to stop and the way to stop it is not just declare a ceasefire and let Hezbollah arm themselves with thousands and thousands of more rockets, but to complete the job of disarming Hezbollah," Netanyahu said.

"That's what Lebanon, the people of Lebanon and the people of Israel want, and that's what the future of peace needs."

'Special relationship'

Blair's visit to Washington comes amid scrutiny of his relationship with the United States. Many in Britain believe he should distance himself from Bush and call for a ceasefire.

Dozens of academics, former British Cabinet ministers, musicians and writers signed an open letter published Friday in The Independent newspaper urging Blair to broker a ceasefire.

It warned that the public would not stomach public support for Israel's military action in light of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion in Iraq.

Blair's "special relationship" with Bush was ridiculed after the U.S. leader was heard saying "Yo, Blair" to him at the G8 summit in St Petersburg, Russia.

Meanwhile, controversy also plagues Blair amid allegations that two U.S.-chartered planes carrying missiles to Israel was allowed to stop and refuel at a Scottish airport.

In related news:

• UN observers were removed from posts along the Israeli-Lebanese border today. Four UN observers -- including a Canadian, were killed by an Israeli airstrike earlier this week.
• Israeli defense forces said aircraft hit a total of 130 targets in Lebanon on Thursday and early Friday
• The confirmed death toll on the Lebanese side from fighting is at least 437, with health officials saying it might be closer to 600, The Associated Press. More than 50 Israelis have died.