A delegation of Russian emergency ministry officials left for Beirut Sunday to determine whether Russia will join the UN-sponsored demining operations in Lebanon, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported.
During its eight-day visit, the Russian workgroup is expected to hold talks with both the Lebanese leadership and UN representatives, but no documents would be signed, Deputy Emergency Minister Yuri Brazhnikov said.
Officials from other countries such as Switzerland may join the discussions on how best to remove some 100,000 landmines and missiles that litter southern Lebanon, Brazhnikov said.
Russian specialists have already destroyed landmines in Kosovo and Bosnia, and plan to participate in similar operations in Libya and Iraq -- MOSCOW (AFP)
