Europe's participation in the UN mission in Lebanon

Stefano Folli draws up a list of the questions to which Italy wants clear answers before it determines on what terms it will join UNIFIL. "What rules will troops have to abide by on the ground? Will they merely observe manoeuvres in situ or will they be expected to intervene to force Hizbullah to withdraw? Peace-keeping or peace-enforcing? It is a crucial point, yet one that remains ambiguous ... To be able to speak of a peacekeeping mission, it is important to know the point of view of the main stakeholder: the Lebanese government ... A haze still surrounds the 'conditions of engagement' as governments, including Italy's, strive to focus on a peace-keeping mission. The eventual reality could be harsh."

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