Intelligence

Fiji Troops May Grow U.N. Presence in Iraq

Yahoo! News - Fiji Troops May Grow U.N. Presence in Iraq

By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS - The deployment of about 130 Fijian troops to Iraq (news - web sites) next month to protect U.N. staff and facilities could lead to an expanded U.N. operation ahead of elections in January, if security conditions permit, the United Nations (news - web sites) said Wednesday.

The United Nations also is holding discussions with the U.S.-led coalition force to provide a unit to protect the perimeter of U.N. facilities and U.N. staff traveling outside the heavily guarded Green Zone in Baghdad, U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.

Iraq has been pressing for more U.N. experts to help prepare for elections, but the United Nations has been stymied because its request for countries to provide troops for a separate U.N. protection force and for specially trained guard units received no offers — except recently from Fiji.

The United Nations had sought to distance itself from relying on American and coalition troops. But after four months of discussions resulted in not a single country offering troops for the U.N. protection force, Annan now has no choice but to rely on the coalition to help provide security for U.N. staff.

The small U.N. staff now in Baghdad is protected by coalition troops, who will be replaced by Fijians. But with no offers for the larger, separate U.N. protection force, U.N. staff will almost certainly have to continue relying on the coalition for perimeter security and for protection when they move outside the Green Zone.

Asked about this reliance, Okabe said Annan has stressed that "the objective is to assist the Iraqis in the preparation for the election."

"He is doing everything possible to mobilize all that he can to stabilize the situation there," Okabe said.

Earlier this month, Fiji's U.N. ambassador, Isikia Savua, told the Security Council that Fiji was preparing soldiers to serve as security for the United Nations in Iraq. Last week, Australia announced that it would provide training, equipment and logistical support for the Fijian troops and would help with their deployment.

Okabe announced Wednesday that 130 Fijians would provide protective security details for senior U.N. officials as well as a guard unit for the protection of U.N. facilities in Baghdad, and that Australia would provide most of their equipment.

"These contributions are critical to the U.N.'s efforts to strengthen the security arrangements for its personnel in Iraq," she said. "This would make it possible for the United Nations to consider expanding its activities in Iraq as circumstances permit."

Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) pulled all U.N. international staff out of Iraq a year ago, after two bombings at U.N. headquarters in Baghdad and a spate of attacks on humanitarian workers. The first bombing, on Aug. 19, 2003, killed the top U.N. envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 others.

In August, the secretary-general allowed a small U.N. contingent to return to Baghdad and imposed a ceiling of 35 international staffers, but he has been under pressure to increase the number to help Iraq prepare for elections.

However, two weeks ago, two organizations representing more than 60,000 U.N. staff members urged the secretary-general to pull all U.N. staff out of Iraq because of the "unprecedented" risk to their safety and security.

In a joint letter to Annan, the staff organizations cited a dramatic escalation in attacks in Iraq and said the United Nations regrettably "has become a direct target, one that is particularly prone to attacks by ruthless extremist terrorist factions."

October 20, 2004 at 10:49 PM in UK | Permalink | Top of page | Blog Home