Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Tuesday the “constant” cooperation between the Lebanese army and United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, saying that the army should be properly supplied with necessary equipment to enable it to implement its duties, especially U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.

He said after holding talks with UNIFIL Commander Major General Alberto Asarta: “The Lebanese government is determined to take the necessary measures to allow the international force to perform its duties in aiding the army in maintaining the security in the South.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati and the ministers loyal to him have pledged to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, a high-ranking European Union official said.

The managing director for the Middle East and Southern neighborhood of the European External Action Service, Hugues Mingarelli, told As Safir daily published Tuesday that Miqati and Ministers Mohammed Safadi and Nicolas Nahhas confirmed to him that Lebanon would make its contribution to the STL.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has expressed concern to Premier Najib Miqati on the latest attacks on UNIFIL and urged all Lebanese sides to respect Security Council resolutions, including 1701, French diplomatic sources said.

The sources told An Nahar daily that during his meeting with Miqati on the sidelines of the “Friends of Libya” conference on Thursday, Juppe condemned the bombing attacks on UNIFIL troops on May 27 and July 26.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Friday the importance of Lebanon’s implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701.

He said after holding talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: “Lebanon is keen on the safety of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.”

Premier Najib Miqati has reiterated his “strong willingness that France keeps its forces” as part of the UNIFIL mission and vowed to work on preventing further attacks on peacekeepers.

In a letter to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Miqati said that Lebanon is keen on implementing U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 and consolidating the ties between the Lebanese army and foreign troops.

Austria will send 160 peacekeeping troops to Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon starting in November, the defense ministry announced Monday.

The troops were due to help with supply logistics for the UNIFIL mission.

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) spokesman Neeraj Singh doesn’t expect any change in the force’s mission, denying that there will be any downsizing in their numbers.

“There are no indications that the French contingent numbers will be reduced,” Singh told As Safir newspaper on Monday.

A warning made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier in the month that Paris would consider pulling its troops from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon if it comes under attack again, is not the first, an official told An Nahar daily Saturday.

In a letter sent to his Lebanese counterpart President Michel Suleiman and PM Najib Miqati, Sarkozy said: “If the July 26, 2011 attack takes place again then France would wonder whether there is any reason to keep its troops to confront the dangers that the host country is not dealing with appropriately.”

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesman Neeraj Singh denied on Friday that the international forces had received any information on a letter French President Nicolas Sarkozy had sent to President Michel Suleiman hinting that France is reconsidering its participation in the international force.

He told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency that the international force was not informed of any possible French withdrawal.

European diplomatic sources did not rule out an Israeli aggression on Lebanon in September warning the Jewish state could target state institutions, including Lebanese army barracks.

The sources told An Nahar daily published Friday that the new Israeli war would not only target Hizbullah arms depots and officials but also hit the water and electricity sectors and army positions.