Russia still considering troops for UN force in Lebanon: minister

[tocqueville]

2 hours, 8 minutes ago

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia is still considering the possibility of sending troops to join the United Nations force in Lebanon along the border with Israel, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said.

"We are examining the situation. So far, we are not clear on the peacekeepers' status and rights, what they will do there, what mandate they will have," Ivanov was quoted as saying by the ITAR-TASS news agency on Friday.

.....................................................................

The Kommersant daily quoted a source in the defence ministry as saying that Russian participation "is probable" and that a decision could be approved by the upper house of parliament in September.

The report said that a 2,000-strong peacekeeping brigade was being prepared in Samara in the Volga region and that some of these troops could be sent to Lebanon.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060825/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictlebanonunrussia