Aquino seeks better protection for Filipino UN peacekeepers

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III wants some changes in the standard operating procedures governing Filipino United Nations peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, one of whom was injured last week in a clash between Syrian government and rebel forces.

Aquino said the changes is for the safety of the Filipino peacekeepers as some countries have pulled out their contingents from the United Nations force there.

"Is the UN willing -- either we increase our equipment or change the so-called standard operating procedures to enhance the security of our forces to stay?" Aquino asked.

"If nothing changes in the terms and conditions, the mission may be undoable and our troops might be placed between warring forces and they won't have the means to defend themselves," Aquino added.

Aquino said he was weighing a proposal made by Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario to withdraw all 342 Filipino UN peacekeepers, which will be discussed at a security meeting on Tuesday.

Austria announced last week that it would remove its 377 peacekeepers from the 911-member U.N. force, which also includes troops from India, leaving the Philippines as the largest single contributor.

"There are a lot of countries pulling out. There is heightened fear that if the whole UN detachment or the UN forces there pull out, there will be no buffer between Israel and Syria," Aquino said, adding that if that happens, "the two forces will draw closer ... and there will be a flare-up of hostilities again." - with AP