U.S. OKs Deployment to the Ivory Coast (No US Troops though)

[Khephra]

February 17, 2004, 10:52 PM EST


UNITED NATIONS -- The United States has agreed to the deployment of more than 6,000 U.N. peacekeepers for war-divided Ivory Coast and has asked Congress for approval, Ambassador John Negroponte said Tuesday.

Negroponte said the request for congressional authorization was submitted last week. The United States will not contribute any troops to the force, but Congress needs to approve the request because the United States pays 27 percent of all U.N. peacekeeping costs.

Last month, France circulated a draft resolution calling for a 6,240-strong U.N. force and 150 civilian police to replace the 1,000 West African troops and 150 West African gendarmes now in the former French colony.

More than 4,000 French troops trying to help keep the peace will remain in the country but will not be part of the U.N. force.

more..............

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-un-ivory-coast,0,6428811.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines