The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has said Israel and the Lebanese militant group, Hezbollah, have accepted his offer of mediation to try to secure the release of two captured Israeli soldiers.
The soldiers' abduction in a cross-border raid from Lebanon in July led to 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that ended in a truce last month.
Speaking at a news conference in Saudi Arabia, Mr Annan said he would appoint a special negotiator to work discreetly with both sides.
He said this was on condition that the UN would be the only mediator.
Israel has repeatedly demanded the unconditional release of the soldiers, who Hezbollah has sought to exchange for Lebanese held in Israeli jails.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mark Regev, said Israel's official position remained that it would not enter into any negotiations to free the soldiers.
Lebanon blockade continues
Separately, the Lebanese government is to file a complaint to the UN Security Council over Israel's air and sea blockade, which remains in place despite the ceasefire.
The Israeli government has claimed the embargo remains in order to prevent Hezbollah from rearming.
Lebanon has now agreed to ask UN peacekeepers to help secure its coast, despite reservations by Hezbollah.
A full Israeli troop withdrawal from Lebanon is planned in line with the UN resolution and the UN has said the pullout will be completed once the number of peacekeepers, now 3,100, reaches 5,000.
