Member states of the European Union (EU) have pledged more than half of the peacekeeping force needed for a UN mission in south Lebanon, said UN chief Kofi Annan on Friday.

"Europe is providing the backbone of the force," Annan told reporters after an extraordinary meeting of the EU foreign ministers.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, who chaired the meeting, said EU member states have pledged between 5,600 and 6, 900 new troops for the UN mission in Lebanon.

In addition, EU countries have also pledged naval, air and logistic support for the UN mission.

EU countries have already ground troops in the current 2,000- strong UN mission in Lebanon.

The troops will be deployed in three phases, with the first 3, 000 to 4,000 troops to be deployed very quickly, said Annan.

The UN mission will be put under the command of France until February 2007, when Italy will take over command, said Annan.

Source: Xinhua