Barak cancels visit to Spain amid controversy over UNIFIL command

Barak cancels visit to Spain amid controversy over UNIFIL commandMadrid/Tel Aviv/Rome - Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has cancelled a visit to Spain in the coming week amid alleged disagreements over the command of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The Israeli embassy in Madrid and Spanish diplomatic sources on Friday confirmed the suspension of the visit, which was scheduled for November 4 and 5.

The visit was cancelled after the Israeli newspaper Haaretz claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had secretly asked Italy to retain the command of the 12,000-strong UNIFIL force for longer than planned, instead of Spain taking over.

A Spanish diplomatic source, however, told the German Press Agency dpa that the cancellation of the visit had nothing to do with the Haaretz report.

The source attributed the change of plans to Barak needing to make an unforeseen visit to the United States, explaining that he would come to Spain on another date. The source described Spanish-Israeli relations as "excellent."

Barak and Spanish leaders had been due to discuss issues including the command of the UNIFIL troops which include more than 2,000 Italian and about 1,100 Spanish troops.

Italian General Claudio Graziano is due to hand the command over to a Spanish general in early 2010.

Spanish media reports have claimed Italy wants to retain the command of the troops for longer than planned for reasons including Graziano's career interests.

Haaretz said Netanyahu had secretly contacted Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, asking him to keep his country in charge of UNIFIL for at least six months longer than planned.

Israeli military experts felt the situation in Lebanon was so sensitive that replacing the UNIFIL commander now could destabilize it, according to the report.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry, however, said the Israeli government had been in touch with the Spanish embassy in Tel Aviv, telling it Israel had not asked for any changes in the UNIFIL command plans.

Haaretz said the affair had developed into a "serious diplomatic incident" between Israel and Spain, but the Spanish diplomatic source denied such allegations.

Italy had confirmed it would cede command to Spain, though the handover might take place a little later than planned, the source said.

Italian Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa meanwhile said Rome "maintained its commitment" to cede UNIFIL command to Spain.

Italy maintained the commitment even if "from different quarters, not only Israel, we were asked to extend" the period of the command, which has been held by Graziano for three years, La Russa said.

The Israeli embassy in Madrid said the decision on the UNIFIL command depended only on the participating countries and on the United Nations. The embassy stressed Israel's trust in the "professionality" of Spanish peacekeepers.

Spain wants to take control of UNIFIL in order to raise its Middle East profile during its European Union presidency in the first half of 2010, according to analysts. (dpa)