LONDON, JULY 18, SPA -- TALKS MUST START IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO BRING AN END TO VIOLENCE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SAID TUESDAY. «EVERYONE WANTS IT TO STOP NOW, OF COURSE WE DO,» HESAID AT A LONDON NEWS CONFERENCE WITH CROATIAN PRIMEMINISTER IVO SANADER. «WE SEE THE TERRIBLE, TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE THAT IS HAPPENING. IT IS AN APPALLING SITUATION, AND A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE WHOLE OF THE REGION, THE WHOLE OF THE WORLD.» «BUT UNLESS THERE IS SOME NEGOTIATED PROCESS, THEN WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES, AND SO THE ISSUE IS HOW WE MANAGE TO BRING THAT ABOUT AND THAT’S SOMETHING I’M DISCUSSING, AS YOU CAN SEE, WITH CLOSE ALLIES,» BLAIR SAID. IN AN EXCHANGE CAUGHT ON FILM, BLAIR SUGGESTED TO U.S.PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH AT THE G-8 SUMMIT IN ST.PETERSBURG, RUSSIA, ON MONDAY THAT HE COULD TRAVEL TO THE MIDDLE EAST TO TRY TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR AN END TO THE CONFLICT. AT LEAST 215 LEBANESE AND 24 ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED IN THE SIX DAYS OF FIGHTING, REUTERS REPORTED. --SPA 18/07/2006 15:32 ت م www.spa.gov.sa/376428