GERMANY: Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany is not prepared to contribute ground troops to a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon but will consider offering other support

Germany is not prepared to contribute ground troops to a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon but will consider offering other support, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday (August 17). 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. "I would like to emphasise that we cannot imagine Germany offering to provide ground troops for the moment. There are components - of which we do not yet know which will be required - which concern logistics, air transportation and reconnaissance, and the necessary logistic backing," Merkel told reporters. She ruled out deploying police on the border between Lebanon and Syria to fight weapons smuggling. "I would like to say in advance that we are obviously ready, and are providing concrete plans, on providing humanitarian aid, and need to look at what kind of capabilities are required here," she said. "Air transportation and logistical support could be part of this, such as lazarettes, that is being sorted out at the moment, but we are prepared to provide humanitarian aid presently." 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.

ITN Source | August 18, 2006

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