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Sout
h Africa would only give its final response to a request by the
United Nations for peacekeeping troops to be sent to Liberia once
the multilateral body had determined its requirements, Foreign
Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said yesterday.
The UN Security Council was busy working out these details before
passing a resolution in this regard, she told reporters in
Pretoria.
"We'll know within the next week or so," the minister said.
"Once they've clarified that we will be in a position to say what
we can supply".
After receiving the request from the UN, South Africa had said it
was not in principle opposed to participating to such a mission,
Dlamini-Zuma said.
"It depends on what they need and what we are able to
supply...because we are already involved in a number of
peacekeeping missions".
These included missions in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of
Congo.
A few weeks ago, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota was reported as
saying South Africa would not be able to send troops to Liberia due
to its commitments in Burundi and the DRC.
Asked about this yesterday, Dlamini-Zuma said: "Let's wait for the
request and see what we can do about it. The UN realises that we
are stretched".
On Monday, President Thabo Mbeki attended a ceremony in the
Liberian capital Monrovia where then president Charles Taylor
handed over power to his former deputy, Moses Blah.
This move was aimed at ending a civil war of 14 years. –
Sapa.
Photos
