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More French troops for Lebanon

Vaiju Naravane

Chirac, Merkel criticise Assad's remarks on deployment of peace force on border

Paris: French President Jacques Chirac on Friday said 15,000 soldiers for the United Nations Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was "totally excessive and made no sense".

Speaking in Paris at a joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr. Chirac said, "I do not know who came up with the initial figure of 15,000 troops. But with 15,000 Lebanese soldiers to be deployed in an area as small as a French department, an additional 15,000 men would mean the troops would be jostling one another. I do not know what the appropriate figure is, that is for the commanders to decide".

Annan meeting

His remarks came as a meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers attended by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan got underway in Brussels to hammer out the rules of engagement for UNIFIL troops and for E.U. countries to announce their final contributions.

On Thursday night, following intense pressure from the international community as well as from within France, Mr. Chirac announced he would send an additional 1,600 French troops to Lebanon. He said he had taken the decision after receiving guarantees from the United Nations about the UNIFIL's command structure and the rules of engagement.

Elaborating on this during his press conference, Mr. Chirac said the guarantees had allayed French fears about the command structure, which he said should be under the military and not under the civilian authority of U.N. officials.

"To each his job", the President said, alluding to the confusing command structure in Bosnia when military commanders were obliged to take orders from the U.N. representative. Mr. Chirac also indicated that under the new rules soldiers would be able to engage in aggressive self-defence.

Mr. Chirac and Ms. Merkel agreed that the continuing Israeli air and sea blockade of Lebanon was completely unjustified. "It has caused incalculable prejudice to the Lebanese economy and continues to do so. We are insisting on its immediate end," Mr. Chirac said.

Syria's President Bashr-el-Assad came in for some harsh words from both leaders who said his recent declarations about troop deployment on the Lebanese-Syrian border "do not automatically inspire confidence".

Mr. Assad declared that any troop deployment along the border would be viewed as an act of aggression and that Syria would seal the border resulting in an effective land blockade as well.

Europe's offer

Atul Aneja reports from Dubai:

Europe appeared set to reinforce its profile in West Asia with Italy deciding to commit 3,000 soldiers and France announcing that it was sending another 1,600 troops to Lebanon.

On Friday, 170 French soldiers disembarked from an amphibious vessel, near the Lebanese port of Naqoura, a day after French President Jacques Chirac announced his decision to send two battalions for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Along with a 15,000-strong Lebanese force, the presence of UNIFIL is seen as crucial for reinforcing a fragile ceasefire, which took effect on August 14 after Israel and Hizbollah clashed for 34 days.

Italy had already declared that it was sending 3,000 troops to Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL contingent. As U.N. troops prepared to move into Lebanon, Syria declared that it would reject deployment of international forces along its borders with Lebanon. Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad had already declared that he would regard the positioning of such forces as a "hostile" act. Syria has close ties with Hizbollah, and has been accused by Israel of funnelling weapons to the group. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Government said 97 per cent of displaced have returned home in southern Lebanon.

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