INDONESIA TO DEPLOY MORE MILY PERSONNEL UN TROOPS IN BEIRUT

Beirut, Apr 20 (ANTARA) - Indonesia will deploy more military personnel to join the UN peacekeeping force, the number of which will be increased to 2,000 troops in 2009.

International security director at the Foreign Ministry Fikry Cassid said here Monday the number of Indonesian military personnel in the UN peacekeeping force was 1,526 assigned in four regions, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Speaking in a seminar on the participation of Indonesia in the peacekeeping force in Lebanon, he said that Indonesia was one of the countries having a big number of troops in the UN mission.

"In 2009, we plan to raise the number of military troops to 2,000," he said, adding that the plan will have to reconsidered in view of the global economic crisis.
It was reported that Indonesia for the first time joined the UN mission in 1957.
According to Frikry, the participation of Indonesia in the UN peacekeeping mission was aimed at strengthening multilateral cooperation to settle conflicts.

The participation was based on the free-and-active foreign policy laid down in the 1945 constitution.

In addition, the participation of Indonesia is also aimed at enhancing the capability and professionalism of military and police personnel.

As to the UN mission in Lebanon, Indonesia joined not only the army, but also a maritime task force of UNIFIL with 1,400 troops.

This really indicated Indonesian commitment to keep world peace on the basis of free-and-active foreign policy, Fikry said.