'Lebanon force delays could spur new bloodshed'

United Nations, Aug 18; A top UN official has pressed governments for quick commitments of troops to a beefed-up peacekeeping force for southern Lebanon, warning that delays could lead to renewed Middle East bloodshed.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown pressed ambassadors from dozens of countries to tell the world body ''in the next few days at most'' how many soldiers they would contribute and when, after France sent planners into a tailspin by offering only a token number of soldiers.

''We must convert promises into firm commitments, and commitments into rapid deployments on the ground. Every moment we delay is a moment of risk that the fighting could re-erupt,'' Malloch Brown told the closed-door meeting yesterday, according to a text of his remarks.

The United Nations had counted on France to lead an advance contingent of up to 3,500 fresh troops that it hoped could be in place within two weeks. Paris already has some 200 troops in the existing 2,000-member UN Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, and leads the operation.

Instead, Paris said it would offer just 200 more soldiers.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday authorizing the deployment of as many as 15,000 troops to enforce a cease-fire in the monthlong war between Israel and Lebanon's Hizbollah.

The UN force was to help 15,000 Lebanese troops that have begun moving into the south to enable Israeli forces to withdraw while ensuring Hizbollah fighters do not rearm.

Chirac says more possible

French President Jacques Chirac assured UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan by phone that his government might send in more soldiers depending on the precise mission and rules of engagement, Chirac's office said.

In the meantime, he said the 1,700 troops serving in its air and naval forces in the region would remain in place for the time being, although not be put under UN command.

France's reticence surprised many UN officials and diplomats, since Paris was a key author of the resolution which spelled out the mandate, and had insisted that all troops be under UN command as Lebanon demanded.

France's hesitation was bound to have an impact on Thursday's meeting of potential troop contributors.

Many of the 49 ambassadors invited had been expected to begin making specific commitments, based on the assumption that a command structure and rules of engagement were in place.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had spoken to French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy over France's role and the general situation in Lebanon.

Casey said he hoped for ''greater clarity'' on contributions from France and others after the New York meeting.

Malloch Brown said deploying a UN force normally would take many months but much of the usual red tape was being waived ''in order to cut through the bureaucracy and get boots on the ground as quickly as possible.'' UN chief spokesman Stephane Dujarric acknowledged, however, that the French decision might spook potential troop contributors and require a second meeting next week).

Reuters

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