By Daisy Ayliffe - 24th August 2006
EU member states are providing the ‘backbone’ of the peace mission in Lebanon that is to be lead by France, UN secretary general Kofi Annan has declared.
Speaking after an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday, Annan thanked Europe for its support for the people of Lebanon.
“Europe is providing the back bone of the force. Europe has lived up to its responsibility,” the UN chief declared.
“I have asked France to lead the Unifil2 mission until the end of February 2007. After that the rotation will go to Italy,” he added.
The UN force in Lebanon is to be expanded from the current 2,000 troops - up to 15,000 under a new UN resolution.
On Friday Annan confirmed that EU member states have pledged between 5,600 and 6,900 new troops.
The first European troops from the latest dispatch could be in place in the next few days - but the full force will take up to three months to deploy.
On Tuesday Italy offered to take a lead role in the mission – with a pledge of up to 3,000 troops.
But on Friday the UN secretary general confirmed that the current French Unifil commander will keep his post at the head of the mission.
“We have also created a new strategic cell to help provide military guidance to Unifil2. The head of that unit will be an Italian general,” Annan added.
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