The Bulgarian government is ready to send a contingent of up to 50 soldiers to join the UN peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon, the Sofia News Agency reported on Monday.

Bulgaria's contingent will be stationed in the headquarters of the UN force in the Lebanese village of Nakura, near the border with Israel. They will guard humanitarian aid shipments, VIPs and various convoys.

The Bulgarian troops, expected to depart by the end of next month, will bring with them new armored Mercedes trucks. The Balkan country will also deliver humanitarian aid to Lebanon.

All the decisions will have to be approved by the country's National Assembly (parliament) in the coming days.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Saturday strongly appealed to member states to contribute troops to the peacekeeping force in Lebanon, warning that peace there was "fragile."

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas ended 34 days of fighting on Aug. 14. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 authorizes an increase in the number of the existing UN force in Lebanon to 15,000, in a bid to help Lebanon take control of the south of the country.

Source: Xinhua