Tuesday, August 22 2006 15:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: Hard pressed to find European forces to buttress its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UN officials have welcomed the Italian offer to lead the contingent and reportedly provide some 2000 troops.

The Italian offer came on the day the United States announced that it was planning a new Security Council resolution specifically asking for disarmament of Hizbollah.

But its diplomats were quick to point out that there was no timeframe in an effort not to derail the deployment process or drive away the potential troop contributors.

UN diplomats and officials welcomed the Italian offer but said they would keep their fingers crossed till the arrangement with Rome was firmed up as they expressed disappointment over French decision to back out of its earlier statement to lead the mission.

The urgent need for deployment of enhanced well armed UN force has become all the more important to maintain fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah after Tel Aviv raiding a village near Syrian border and killing of three Hizbollah fighters in a separate incident.

The Italian offer was made by its Prime Minister Ramano Prodi to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan who is expected to take a decision over the next weekend after European Union's Wednesday's meeting on the contribution to the UN force.

The United Nations has declared its aim to put 3,500 additional troops on the ground by September 2 and without European contribution, it just cannot meet the deadline.