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by RAY FLEMING
IT is a well known fact that France, more than any other European nation, closes down for August. That seems the most charitable explanation of the extraordinary ten-day silence from Paris over its commitment to the United Nations peacekeeping force for Lebanon. French diplomats at the United Nations had co-operated with their American counterparts to draft an acceptable and workable resolution on the ceasefire and had given the impression that France would be the lead-nation with some 3'000 troops; however, the moment the Security Council gave unanimous approval to the resolution an inexplicable silence fell over communications between Paris and New York. Most worrying was that such news as did filter through indicated that France's contribution to the peacekeeping force would number in the low hundreds rather than the thousands. The UN's credibility was almost certainly rescued by Italy's initiative in putting 3'000 troops at its disposal. Despite presiding over a mixed centre-left coalition, Romano Prodi, Italy's prime minister (and former EC president) saw that a prolonged delay in asembling the UN force would put the ceasefire itself at risk. Although one of his first acts as prime minister had been to end Italy's military presence in Iraq he clearly demonstrated on this occasion his commitment to the UN. Perhaps he also suspected that his offer might provoke France into action, and so it proved. There's work to be done, but Italy undoubtedly saved the UN's day.