Wary Europeans edge towards deal on UN Lebanon force

Europe’s tortuous efforts to pull together contributions for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon could edge forward tomorrow when EU diplomats meet to coordinate positions after Italy’s conditional offer to lead the force.

But diplomats said the meeting was unlikely to produce a breakthrough. It would focus on assessing the requirements of the peacekeeping mission. However, there was some expectation that more nations would come forward with at least tentative offers of troops.

“It’s not a decision-making meeting but more of a survey of the situation, with a certain urgency,” Swedish Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson said.

Europeans – haunted by casualties on peacekeeping missions from Bosnia to Rwanda and in Lebanon itself in the 1980s – are wary of committing troops without guarantees they will not get sucked into a poorly prepared and meekly mandated operation.

They remain cautious despite a mounting sense of urgency which has sparked appeals from US President George Bush and the United Nations for a speedy deployment of troops to shore up the shaky ceasefire.

Although Italy offered yesterday to lead the force and provide up to 3,000 of the estimated 15,000 troops needed for the mission, Rome has made clear it wants safeguards that its troops won’t be caught in a crossfire btween Israel and Hezbollah.

“From Israel, we expect a renewed commitment, and this time really binding, to respect the ceasefire,” Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema was quoted as saying by the Rome daily La Repubblica. “It is right to insist that Hezbollah put down their arms, but we cannot send our soldiers into Lebanon if the Israeli Defence Forces continue to shoot.”

D’Alema has asked Finland – which currently holds the European Union’s rotating presidency – to organise a meeting of foreign ministers from the 25-nation bloc to bring a breakthrough in the efforts to muster troops. Sweden’s Eliasson said that meeting may take place on Friday.

Greece said today it will contribute naval forces, but not ground troops. Government spokesman Nikos Roussopoulos said Greece’s contribution will include a frigate, a helicopter, landing craft, special forces and support staff. Its main purpose will be to inspect shipping to Lebanese ports.

Eliasson said Sweden has yet to decide if it will join the force. “It is a big responsibility to send personnel to an area where there is uncertainty about the force’s mission,” he said. Adding that Sweden already has troops in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Africa, he said: “We are not talking about infinite resources here.”

Turkey said it was still considering its participation. Turkey, a Muslim candidate for EU membership, has good relations with Israel and its Arab neighbours, and has been encouraged by the EU and United States to send troops.

Israel has rejected offers of participation by three other Muslim nations - Malaysia, Bangladesh and Indonesia – because they do not recognise the Jewish state.

The Europeans demand a clear mandate from the UN mission that gives their soldiers the right to defend themselves without dragging them into the conflict. Hundreds of foreign troops were killed in previous efforts to pacify Lebanon, including 58 French paratroopers slain in a 1983 Hezbollah attack that also killed 241 Americans.

After previously signalling it could take a leading role, France has disappointed other countries by offering only 200 extra troops, roughly doubling its contribution to the existing UN force in Lebanon. However, officials have suggested France could still send more troops if negotiations under way at UN headquarters in New York produce the right mandate.

According to the Paris daily Le Monde, a draft UN document would give peacekeepers the right to open fire to defend themselves and to protect civilians, but would be barred from actively searching for Hezbollah weapons.