NATO: Prospect of deployment "just utterances by Israeli defense Minister"

[bigtree]

NATO is not up to any role in the Middle East at present

BRUSSELS, July 24 (KUNA) -- NATO confirmed on Monday that the alliance received no official demand from any party for stretching forces along the Lebanese-Israeli borders.

NATO spokesman James Appathurai told Kuna that the permanent alliance ambassadors did not list on agenda of their next meeting, the discussion of dispatching their troops to South Lebanon noting that these were just utterances by the Israeli defense Minister.

To a question on whether an official request is needed from both Lebanese and Israeli sides, he refused to predict adding that this should be discussed by the alliance members based on the prerogatives and the general framework of Nato actions. "Israel supports the possibility of deploying a multi-national force with a strong mandate," possibly sponsored by NATO, Israeli Defense Minster Amir Peretz was quoted as saying earlier.


http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=889905