Confusion deepens in EU over UN Lebanon force
As the US today declared an “urgent” need for international troops in Lebanon, European nations appeared to be waiting for UN guidance that would clarify the rules of engagement – including the crucial question of using force against Hezbollah.
Mixed signals were emerging from the chief protagonists tasked with maintaining the fragile truce, promising more uncertainty for the war-battered country. Diplomats expressed doubts over the chances of a breakthrough at a meeting of EU officials on Wednesday.
By that meeting, however, EU ambassadors, diplomats and defence ministry officials hope at least to have clear enough guidelines from the UN about a new mandate for UNIFIL – the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon – to be able to cobble together an international coalition.
“All the countries are saying what Germany is saying – we need the right rules for the deployment” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel today.
France – Lebanon’s former colonial master – currently commands the existing 2,000-troop force.
Through a string of diplomatic initiatives, including sending its prime minister and foreign minister to Lebanon, it has signalled it intends to continue playing a leading role.
But France’s willingness may be ebbing with confusion over the rules of engagement. It disappointed the UN and other countries by merely doubling its own contingent of 200 troops.
It has said more could be sent at a later date, once the UN has clarified the mandate of the force.
The expanded force could include up to 15,000 troops, of which the UN wants 3,500 on the ground by next week.
French President Jacques Chirac and Merkel will pick up the issue again when they meet at the Elysees on Friday – making it unlikely Wednesday’s lower-level meeting in Brussels will be able to make a definitive breakthrough, officials said.
History has a great deal to do with the qualms over sending troops.
France and Belgium have bad memories of many past peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Rwanda and have since become hesitant to commit troops without strong guidelines over when they would have the right to shoot and also defend themselves.
Germany has different concerns. Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said his country will not offer troops to be stationed near Israel’s border because of Germany’s Nazi-era past.
