Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country currently holds the European Union presidency, on Thursday said Israel had misread the outcome of the Middle East conference as assent for its offensive in Lebanon.

"It is their interpretation and it is wrong," Tuomioja told Finnish news agency STT by telephone from Israel.

The international conference on Lebanon, held on Wednesday in Rome, stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire due to resistance from the US.

This amounted to an "authorisation" for Israel to continue its offensive in Lebanon, according to Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon.

During a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz, Tuomioja reiterated the EU appeal for an immediate halt to the fighting, STT said.

Tuomioja was set to meet his Israeli opposite number, Tzipi Livni, and Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday, and due to travel to Beirut on Friday.