Germany rules out ground troops for Lebanon force

BERLIN, Aug 17 (Reuters) Germany is not prepared to contribute ground troops to a UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon but will consider offering navy support, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.

Germany could also provide air reconnaissance and logistical support but it was not yet clear whether that would be required, Merkel said after meeting parliamentary group leaders in Berlin.

''What we can imagine is an offer of security on the naval side,'' Merkel said. ''We cannot imagine taking part in any fighting deployment of ground troops.'' A poll published on Thursday showed almost two-thirds of Germans oppose taking part in the U.N. force. Of 1,001 people surveyed by the Forsa institute for broadcaster n-tv, 59 percent said they were against with 37 percent in favour.

But Merkel told reporters: ''I believe that a Germany that stood back and said this task was too complicated would massively lose influence in the formation of policy that is extremely important for us.'' She ruled out deploying police on the border between Lebanon and Syria to fight weapons smuggling.

U.N. officials are due to meet nations that might lend support to the peacekeeping effort later on Thursday in New York to discuss the ground rules for the operation.

Merkel said any German contribution must have the backing of the German parliament. It was also vital that there were clear rules for any peacekeeping force and that it had the support of the Lebanese government, she added.

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