Brussels, 24/08/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Friday, EU foreign ministers were expected to be able to announce the contributions their countries would be making to an expanded UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), explained diplomatic sources on Thursday, adding that the ministers were also expected to express willingness to move very quickly to send further UN blue beret troops to Lebanon. Finnish foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country is currently chairing the Council of the EU, said in Berlin on Thursday that he hoped to see the first UNIFIL reinforcements arriving in Lebanon within the next week, which would, he said, be a crucial period of time. He said he hoped to see the arrival of additional troops over the following weeks if possible.
On Wednesday, the meeting of political officers from EU Member States' foreign ministries on the EU's Political and Security Committee (PSC, or 'COPS' according to its French acronym) looking at whether the EU would contribute to a new UN interim force in Lebanon, resulted in a 'positive dynamic' according to EU sources. The COPS experts said international forces were urgently needed in Lebanon but did not specify how long such new forces would be sent for, how many should be sent or the intervention criteria for each Member State. UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought 34 days of fighting between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah to an end on 14 August, specifies that the current UNIFIL force of 2000 UN blue berets should be increased to a maximum of 15,000 peacekeepers, to support the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon. Several EU Member States are planning to send troops to boost the UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, which may include around 6000 Europeans, or even more (according to the most optimistic forecasts). Italy has expressed willingness to lead UNIFIL and send between 2000 and 3000 soldiers (around a third of the EU contingent), in the form of an initial force of between 700 and 800, followed later by a further 2000 to 2200 men. France has already sent 200 soldiers from its engineer force to Lebanon and is prepared to send a battalion of between 800 and 1000. According to El Pais newspaper, Spain may send between 700 and 800, Finland may send up to 250, Poland may send several hundred and Belgium may send some mine-clearing specialists. Hungary has expressed willingness to participate by sending a limited number of men, while Germany has announced that it will not be sending any troops but may help ensure the maritime surveillance of Lebanon. Denmark has offered three patrol boats. The Cypriot foreign minister said that Cyprus may host the headquarters of the international force in Lebanon. Lithuania, Greece and Portugal have also agreed in principle to contribute. The UK and the Netherlands are not planning to send any soldiers but the Netherlands has not ruled out sending maritime aid if necessary.
At the start of next week, a conference will be held in New York to drum up and finalise military commitments. The problem of which country should take control of the expanded UNIFIL force (either France or Italy) could be resolved if France decides to keep control of UNIFIL forces in the field until the end of the term of office of French General Alain Pellegrini in February 2007 at least, and if Italy takes control of a structure in Lebanon under the UN peace-keeping operations department in New York. Most EU Member States have stressed that their contributions to UNIFIL hugely depend on the actual intervention criteria for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
At a special conference of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will be briefing EU Member States on UNIFIL's activities in the Lebanon.
Jose Manuel Barroso announces aid package for Lebanon
In a press release published on Thursday, the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, said he was confidence the EU would provide the necessary support for enlarging UNIFIL to help the Lebanese government get control over all of the country. He said the EU had played a crucial role in the diplomacy leading up to the end of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Jose Manuel Barroso said the Commission had already pledged more than EUR 100 mil in humanitarian aid for the Lebanese people and to clean up the oil slick in the Lebanon caused by Israel's bombing campaign (see EUROPE 9248). He added that the EU was preparing to implement a substantial aid package to encourage reconstruction and boost the reform process in the Lebanon.