France, Italy and Greece are being asked urgently to provide naval ships to patrol the Lebanese coast for the next two weeks in an attempt to persuade Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon before the German navy arrives.

Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, has appealed to Jacques Chirac, the French president, to intervene and break a stalemate over the blockade, which is preventing aid and reconstruction materials reaching the strife-torn country.