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Italy Says It Will Send Troops to Lebanon
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?r=279&ctl=139A2E5:A6F02AD83191E1604D7C2CEC667279D69574F7DCC14957C0 Offer by Italian
Prime Minister Romano Prodi is being considered by UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan Italy's prime minister says his country
is willing to assume leadership of the United Nations peacekeeping
force in Lebanon and will provide about 2,000 troops to the effort.







Kofi Annan (File photo)The offer by Italian Prime Minister Romano
Prodi is being considered by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, who
says he will make a final decision on who will lead the force in the
next few days.

Italy's foreign minister told a leading Italian newspaper Tuesday that
the Italian offer is conditional and depends on Israel not violating
the U.N.-mediated ceasefire.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton says the international
community needs to focus on the mission.

"We should keep our eye focused on the objective, which is that the
combined efforts of the government of Lebanon and UNIFIL in southern
Lebanon should result in the government of Israel being able to
withdraw," he said.

U.N. officials say their goal has been to have about 3,500 troops on
the ground in Lebanon by the first week in September. The force is
expected to grow to 15,000 troops.


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