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EU seeks troops for peacekeeping force
European Union nations made a renewed attempt Wednesday to raise troops for a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, but many remained wary of committing soldiers without safeguards to ensure they do not get sucked into the conflict. There were expectations nations would come forward at a meeting Wednesday of ambassadors at EU headquarters with at least tentative offers of more troops, diplomats said. But any major breakthrough in overcoming the delays in mustering the force of 15,000 is unlikely before a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Friday.

“European nations are concerned their troops could get caught in crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah or forced into a confrontation with either side if, for example, Israeli troops launch more raids across the border or Hezbollah resists efforts to disarm it...”
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is set to attend that meeting to press for the Europeans to urgently overcome their hesitation in sending troops to underpin the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. Adding to the pressure on the Europeans, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday Israel would not lift its air and sea blockade on Lebanon until international peacekeepers were deployed at the Beirut international airport and along the Lebanese border with Syria.

Meanwhile, diplomats at U.N. headquarters in New York are working on rules of engagement for the force that would allow troops to open fire in self-defense, to protect civilians and to back up the Lebanese army in preventing foreign forces or arms from crossing the border. But it was not clear whether the draft would satisfy European nations who are concerned their troops could get caught in crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah or forced into a confrontation with either side if, for example, Israeli troops launch more raids across the border or Hezbollah resists efforts to disarm it.
Posted by: Fred 2006-08-24
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=163854