Dhaka To Examine UNSC Mandate Before Contributing To Peacekeeping In Lebanon
Siddique Islam - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Dhaka, Bangladesh (AHN) - Before committing any troops to the peacekeeping in war-torn Lebanon, Bangladesh is waiting to see the UN terms of reference for deployment of 15,000 troops in south Lebanon to monitor the cease-fire. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), deployed in 1978, now has 2,000 troops. The UNSC resolution will expand it to a maximum 15,000. Bangladesh foreign minister is in touch with its Permanent Representative in the United Nations Ambassador Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury to know the details of the UNSC mandate and terms of reference for the new deployment of troops under the UNIFIL. "We're in touch with our Permanent Representative in the UN. We want to know the terms of reference of new deployment in Lebanon before taking any decision," Foreign Minister of Bangladesh M Morshed Khan talks the United News of Bangladesh (UNB), a local news agency. Bangladesh has been operating as blue helmet peacekeepers under the UN Peacekeeping missions. "We don't want to go anywhere to shoot at some or to get shot," Mr. Khan adds. Bangladesh, the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping missions across the world, has not yet worked under the UNIFIL. Quoting diplomatic sources, the news agency indicated that Bangladesh might not send its troops in a situation where they might be required to shoot for implementing the cease-fire in sou |
