csua.org/u/gp4 -> www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aToZKMon6U3I&refer=europe
Bloomberg Press Chirac, Annan Plan to Discuss France's Role in UN Lebanon Force Aug. Chirac and Annan have scheduled a telephone call today, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Denis Simonneau said. France plans to tackle the urgent needs'' of the expanded UN Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, by sending a first, immediate reinforcement,'' he said. UN officials were then concerned to hear that French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie planned to announce that France intended to send just 200 sappers and a dozen officers to UNIFIL, Le Monde daily said today, citing unidentified UN officials and diplomats. The UN asked France not to make the announcement, fearing its affect on other potential contributors to the force, Le Monde said. The current 1,990-member UNIFIL, which already includes some 200 French soldiers, is under the command of French Major General Alain Pellegrini. Another 3,500 peacekeepers are being sought for the force; Alliot-Marie said on France 2 television yesterday that France is prepared to command the expanded UNIFIL for the first six months.
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