European leaders scramble to put together Lebanon force

European leaders moved forward today with plans for an international force in Lebanon, with an EU official saying it wants to see peacekeepers in place within a week and France preparing an announcement on troop commitments.

But key questions remained over how far Europe was willing to go to back up strong rhetoric on the need for peace with robust action.

French President Jacques Chirac was scheduled announce later whether he is willing to contribute more troops, his office said after a Cabinet meeting.

The newspaper Le Monde reported that France would likely send fewer than 2,000 more men. EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet tomorrow in Brussels to discuss the force. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni urged the international community to act as quickly as possible, calling a test of “the strength and determination of the international community.”

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja indicated today that the first reinforcements to a UN peacekeeping force could be imminent. “We would like to see the first reinforcements for UNIFIL arrive within a week if possible,” Tuomioja said in Berlin.