Fed: Australia yet to decide if it will join force for Lebanon

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2006
Fed: Australia yet to decide if it will join force for Lebanon

ADELAIDE, Aug 3 AAP - The Australian government had yet to decide whether it would
commit troops to a multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Defence Minister Brendan
Nelson said today.

Dr Nelson said any Australian deployment would be in a "niche" area".

"Our position is clear, and that is that if an international stabilisation force is
sent to South Lebanon, that it ought to be one of a very large size, you would need 10,000
to 20,000 troops," he told reporters in Adelaide.

"It should also be one which is able to work with and support the Lebanese army in
securing south Lebanon, it should also be under the charter which disarms Hizbollah.

"If the Australian government chooses to make a defence force contribution to the stabilisation
force, it is likely to be in a relatively niche area and I'm not prepared to go into more
about it at the moment."



AAP sl/bd/br

KEYWORD: MIDEAST AUST NELSON

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