UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for one month, to give international powers more time to discuss a new stabilization force for the conflict-stricken country.

UNIFIL has about 2,000 troops and has been in operating in southern Lebanon for 28 years. Four members of the force were killed in an Israeli attack last week.

A meeting at the UN headquarters of potential contributors to a new international force, planned for Monday, was postponed while details of a peace plan are hammered out by the major powers, officials said.

"It was postponed to give more time to efforts to clarify details of international plans for Lebanon," UN deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.

UN diplomats said it was hoped to reschedule the meeting for later this week.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had highlighted that it was planned to be a technical meeting as there is no UN mandate for an international force.

The major powers hope to pass a Security Council resolution on Lebanon this week, setting out plans for a ceasefire and moving toward a political settlement so that an international force can be sent to southern Lebanon.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that erupted on July 12.

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