France called today called for a European Union meeting next week to co-ordinate member countries plans to contribute to a UN force for Lebanon.
Minister for Defence Wille O'Dea today expressed doubts about whether Ireland would participate without clearer rules for soldiers' right to defend themselves.
"The terms of the [UN] resolution appear to deprive the international force of the authority to use force in the pursuit of security. If Hizbollah do not disarm and the Israelis regroup, then UN troops could be in mortal danger," Mr ODea said in an interview with the Sunday Independent.
He would not consider sending the Army into an area were they would be "in mortal danger", he added.
Germany shares Irish concerns and pressed for a clear and robust mandate for the force.
While Berlin has ruled out sending ground troops it is ready to send its navy to help prevent weapons shipments from reaching Hizbollah fighters via the coast.
But is says its troops needed concrete guidelines in case they were drawn into hostilities.
French foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy called for EU solidarity on the issue, telling told France Info radio that he had asked EU president Finland to call a meeting in Brussels early next week.
Despite being the co-sponsors of the United Nations resolution that brought about the ceasefire, France has so far pledged to send only 200 extra troops to Lebanon.
The commitent has disappointed Washington and the UN, which had hoped it would form the backbone of an expanded UN force on the Lebanon / Israel border.
President Jacques Chirac yesterday spoke to leaders from several countries, including Italy's Romano Prodi and Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, to stress the need for a clearer mandate for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
A Finnish official said France was asking for a meeting of the EU's Political and Security Committee on Wednesday.
"The meeting is to discuss what the countries are going to do in Lebanon. Even though it's not an EU mission, it's to coordinate what different EU countries are going to do," said spokeswoman for Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.
She said those attending would be diplomats, and possibly military specialists, from the 25 member states. No foreign ministers were expected to attend.
The expanded UN peacekeeping force is meant to help the Lebanese army supervise the pullout of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.
Mr Chirac told leaders to whom he spoke that the composition of the UN force needed to be balanced and to reflect the commitment of the whole international community, in particular, of European countries.
Asked about other EU states' contributions to an enlarged force, Mr Douste-Blazy said he believed there would be two phases, the first an urgent one, of which the decision to send 200 extra French troops to Lebanon was part.
About 50 French peacekeepers arrived in south Lebanon yesterday and 150 more left France for Lebanon today.