Bulgaria needed to do its best to send peacekeeping troops to Lebanon by the end of the year, former defence minister Nikolai Svinarov.

The Bulgarian army had various opportunities for participation in UN operations in Lebanon, Svinarov said. Missions abroad increased the experience of the Bulgarian army, said he.

A mission in  Lebanon was risky, Svinarov said, which could motivate the Bulgarian soldiers to prepare better. Since Bulgaria has long been UN member, it needed to take part in such joint actions, Focus news agency quoted Svinarov as saying.

General Anio Angelov on the other hand, said that more clarity was needed on the functions of UN troops, before Bulgaria took a final decision on its participation in Lebanon.

Angelov, who is former head of the military academy, said that the Security Council failed to produce clear definition of the functions of UN peacekeeping troops.

A peace settlement between Lebanon and Israel was still missing, Bulgarian National Radio reported. This made the participation of foreign troops in peacekeeping operations in the region risky, Angelov said.