Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008
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UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The American proposal to send U.N. peacekeepers to Somalia is apparently falling flat.
The U.N.'s secretary-general says after four months of effort, he's found virtually no support for the idea. Ban Ki-moon says the replies from some 50 nations have been "very lukewarm or negative," with no country volunteering to lead.
Ban says it would be too risky to send U.N. peacekeepers to Somalia, where piracy is rampant off the coast and Islamic militants are gaining ground against the weak transitional government. The Bush administration fears Somalia could be a breeding ground for terrorists.
Ban says the first priority should be to strengthen the African Union mission, which has been in Somalia since March 2007. It's authorized to have 8,000 soldiers, but currently has only 2,600.
Source: AP, Dec 17, 2008