Indonesia is ready to send about 450 soldiers to join the international peacekeeping force that might be set up by the United Nations for peace maintenance in the Middle East, a foreign ministry spokesman said Friday.

Indonesia expects the U.N. Security Council, which will have a session on this topic on Saturday in New York, to issue a resolution for establishment of peacekeeping operation in the region in less than three months, said spokesman Desra Percaya.

"I am sure that the TNI (Indonesian armed force) is ready for deployment at anytime, one battalion (about 450 soldiers)," he said.

After the establishment of the peace keeping force, the U.N. could discuss the offer by any member country to contribute to the peace-keeping operation, he added.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has sent a letter to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, requesting the Security Council to result a resolution that allows the launch of peacekeeping operation in the Middle East.

"In the current emergency situation, there has been readiness from Indonesia (to send troops). We expect the resolution to be issued in less than three months," said Percaya.

Annan has called for immediate cease-fire in the Middle East, condemned the attacks in Lebanon and blamed both Israel and Hezbullah for the bloody conflict that has killed dozens of innocent people.

Source: Xinhua