Thursday, August 31 2006 14:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Apparently unwilling to get embroiled in Middle East conflict, India today suggested its peacekeepers in Lebanon would not like to be peace enforcers.

To a question whether India would continue to be part of UNIFIL in Lebanon in the wake of Israeli invasion of that country, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here that we would like our troops to be in the role as close to chapter six as possible, meaning New Delhi would like its troops to perform only peacekeeping activities and not peace enforcement.

"We have been consistent contributors to the UN peacekeeping forces worldwide and as such our views on the issues need to be considered along with those of others," he said.

Mukherjee's comments come as uncertainity hangs over whether or not India will keep its 673 troops in the United Nations Interim Force for Lebnanon (UNIFIL) and amidst reports that the mandate of the peacekeepers in that country might be changed from peacekeeping to peace enforcement including disarming of the Hezbollah militia.

Indian peacekeepers are mostly deployed in the turbulent southern part of Lebanon which was the scene of heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah Shiite militia.

Though the mandate of the UNIFIL has been extended by a year, New Delhi has not yet given its views whether or not it will like its troops to continue to be part of the force.