U.S. officials expressed confidence Thursday that France would play a major role in a 15,000-member U.N.-mandated peacekeeping force for Lebanon even though Paris offered an initial contribution of only 200 extra troops for the operation. French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy spoke by telephone with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice earlier Thursday and gave no indication France was downsizing its planned contribution to the peacekeeping force, a senior U.S. official said. “As far as I know, they are still looking at a serious contribution,” the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. However, officials said France had expressed concerns about the U.N. mandate and rules of engagement of the force as well as about the level of troop contributions from other U.N. members and wanted to clarify such issues before moving ahead.
