Turkish government submits resolution to parliament to send soldiers
to Lebanon

AP Worldstream; Sep 01, 2006

Turkey’s government on Friday submitted a resolution to parliament to
send peacekeepers to Lebanon despite public opposition to the
deployment.

The parliament is expected to vote on the resolution Tuesday.

Many Turks fear that their soldiers could end up facing hostile fire
or could clash with their fellow Muslims. But Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan offered assurances that Turkish soldiers taking part in
the U.N. peacekeeping mission would not be disarming Hezbollah
militants.

According to the resolution, Turkey would contribute an unspecified
number of troops, a navy task force, support allied countries in air
and sea shipments, and help train Lebanese army troops.

Europe, the United States and Israel are all eager to see peacekeepers
from Muslim Turkey in Lebanon, in the hopes that strong Muslim
participation would avoid any impression in Lebanon that the
U.N. peacekeepers are primarily a Christian, European force.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress