Italian takes command of UN force in south Lebanon

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 18 (Reuters) An Italian general is to take command of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon after the French force commander steps down next month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

Ban, in a letter to the Security Council made public, said he intended to name Major-General Claudio Graziano of Italy to succeed Major-General Alain Pellegrini of France, who is due to relinquish his command on February 17.

Graziano has previously served as military attache in the Italian Embassy in Washington, a commander in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and deputy chief of staff for operations in Italy's Joint Operations Headquarters.

The UN peacekeepers have been considered vital in enforcing a UN-brokered cease-fire that took effect last August 14, ending a 34-day war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas.

The Security Council, in an August 11 resolution, had authorised a force of up to 15,000 UN troops, including the 2,000 based in Lebanon before the war. Reinforcements began moving into southern Lebanon within weeks of the end of the fighting.

REUTERS PKS BST0110