The United Nations appealed to European countries Friday to contribute troops to an expanded UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon to balance the commitments from Muslim countries so that both Israel and Lebanon will view it as legitimate. Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown said there was promising news from Italy and Finland. | “...the only countries to offer mechanized infantry battalions which will be the front line of the expanded force were three Muslim countries which do not have diplomatic relations with Israel - Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia - and Nepal, which is predominantly Hindu...” |
Italy formally endorsed sending troops to Lebanon but did not commit itself to specific numbers. Finland formally decided to send up to 250 peacekeepers to Lebanon, but said they would not be deployed until November. At a meeting of 49 potential troop contributing nations on Thursday, the only countries to offer mechanized infantry battalions which will be the front line of the expanded force were three Muslim countries which do not have diplomatic relations with Israel - Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia - and Nepal, which is predominantly Hindu. Malloch Brown stressed that the final decision on the composition of the force will be made by the United Nations, but he said "it's very important that Europe now steps forward."