Call for more Lebanon peacekeepers

Israeli allies, the Southern Lebanon Army, withdraw

By Mark Devenport at UN headquarters

The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, is recommending that the peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon should be almost doubled to nearly 8,000 soldiers once Israel withdraws from its security zone.

The recommendation is contained in a report which the UN Security Council is expected to debate late on Monday.

Mr Annan has said he hopes the clashes in the area and advances made by Hezbollah guerrillas into the Israeli security zone will not undermine his plans for a responding to the withdrawal.

Once the Israeli army pulls out, it will be the UN's task to confirm that the withdrawal is complete.

Beirut authority

Then the peacekeepers will help the government in Beirut establish authority over its territory.

To verify the withdrawal, the UN will despatch military teams in armoured vehicles supported by helicopters.

Kofi Annan believes that during this phase the UN force strength should increase from its present level of 4,500 to around 5,600.

Once the withdrawal is over, the secretary-general says the force should be strengthened again with the addition of two mechanised infantry battalions, bringing the total number of peacekeepers to just less than 8,000.

Mr Annan says the UN will not require Israel to abandon the contentious Shebaa farms area in the Golan Heights in order to verify the withdrawal as complete.

Lebanon argues that the farms are its territory but the UN is going to stick to the existing line, which does not include the farms in the peacekeepers' area of operations.

In practice, the pro-Israeli South Lebanon Army militia appears to be falling apart, but the secretary-general warns Israel that the militia must be disbanded, its heavy weapons removed and its prisoners released.

Mr Annan acknowledges that the situation on the ground is beginning to change rapidly and he calls for all parties to exercise maximum restraint.