German cabinet to approve Lebanon naval mission

The German government on Wednesday was expected to approve the deployment of warships to the eastern Mediterranean as part of the expanded UN peacekeeping force for Lebanon. Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet was to discuss the mission on Wednesday morning. Parliament, which must also approve the deployment, is to vote on it next week. Merkel's conservatives and their Social Democrat coalition partners hold a large majority. Peter Struck, head of the Social Democrat faction in the assembly, said Wednesday that Germany would send up to 2,400 service personnel.