Brussels, 27/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - German Social Democrats Elmar Brok and Karl von Wogau, chairmen of the foreign affairs committee and the “security and defence” sub-committee of the European Parliament have given their backing to the EU taking a leading role in efforts to stabilise the situation in Lebanon. “Only the European Union has the necessary credibility with the various parties in the conflict to guarantee a lasting ceasefire and permit a medium term perspective. However, a NATO intervention would encounter many reservations from Arab countries,” they say in a press release. A stabilisation force in south Lebanon - in which Russia and the Arab countries should be involved - would only be effective if its mandate went clearly beyond that of the current UNIFIL mission.