(Itar-Tass) - The UN meeting on the preparation of the formation of the multinational force for stabilisation of the situation in the south of Lebanon has been postponed at least till Thursday, it became known in New York on Monday from diplomatic sources.
The meeting of the officials of the countries the military units of which could make the contingent proposed by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had been initially planned for Monday, but the UN had to postpone it, because these efforts should not run ahead of the Middle East diplomatic process, the UN headquarters said. As in the case with any peacekeeping contingent deployed after the end of the conflict the new forces should fulfil the points agreed upon by the sides, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno told journalists in this connection. It is inadmissible to discuss the mandate of these forces without the political process in compliance with the results of which the tasks of this contingent will be determined, Guehenno stressed, reports Trend.