Special reports:
Israel-Lebanon
Conflicts
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Israel, Lebanon agree on
ceasefire
BEIRUT, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said here Monday that his country will invite
Germany to send troops as part of the UN peacekeeping mission in the southern
part of the country bordering Israel.
Siniora made the announcement at a joint press conference with his
Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz, who is on a four-nation trip to Norway,
Britain, Turkey and Lebanon.
The invitation will give the green light to the anticipated contribution of
troops by Germany, which postponed a planned special cabinet meeting on Monday
to discuss the possible deployment of peacekeepers in Lebanon.
Spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told reporters that Germany had not received any
formal request from Lebanon for it to send troops to join the UN peacekeeping
mission in that country.
Germany is willing to send 1, 200 soldiers and hundreds of military medics
to join the UN peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon, according to German media.
German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung described the German military
participation as battle duty. He said last week that the German troops could
play a dominant role along the Lebanese coast against weapons smuggling.
Other European nations promising to contribute to the UN peacekeeping
mission in Lebanon include Italy with 3,000 troops, France 2,000, Spain 1,200,
Poland 500, Belgium 400 and Finland 250. Russia has also offered to send
military personnel to help with the post-war reconstruction.
The Pakistani premier, for his part, told the joint press conference that
his country would make a decision in the coming days on whether or not to send
troops to join the UN mission in Lebanon. He declined to make further comments.
Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, UN peacekeepers will expand from
the current 2,000 to 15,000 in south Lebanon to shore up the ceasefire between
Lebanon's Hezbollah fighters and Israel. Enditem
