French Foreign Ministry Official in Beirut Monday to Deliver Decision on Reducing UNIFIL Troops

The Director for United Nations and Other International Organizations in the French Foreign Ministry Nicolas de Riviere is expected to arrive in Lebanon on Monday to hold talks with Lebanese officials on the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

French Foreign Ministry circles told the newspaper that the French diplomat will inform Lebanese officials of France’s intention to lower the number of French troops participating in the international force.

He will stress however that France is still committed to the peacekeeping mission and Lebanon’s efforts to deploy its troops in the South.

Meanwhile, political sources revealed that a U.N. official recently visited Lebanon where he discussed the situation in the South, voicing international fears of an escalation in light of the unrest in the region.

In a related development, Lebanon’s permanent ambassador to the U.N. Nawwaf Salam is taking part in the discussions on revising UNIFIL’s mission.

He is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon next week to hold talks with government officials on the U.N. discussions.

The latest attack against UNIFIL left seven wounded, including five French soldiers.

The bomb attack in the southern city of Tyre targeted the French unit in the international force.