Manila prepared to send new peacekeepers to Golan heights

The Philippines is prepared to deploy new peacekeepers to the Golan Heights after the current contingent finishes its tour in August, if the United Nations ensures better protection for them, dpa quoted the country's foreign minister as saying Friday. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines' current 342-member contingent to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) will stay in the Golan Heights until August 11. "Subject to meeting considerations which the Philippines has made to enhance the security and safety of our peacekeepers, the president has expressed the Philippines is prepared to continue its UNDOF participation," he said in a statement. Foreign Ministry spokesman Raul Hernandez said the government could not disclose the considerations being negotiated with the UN. President Benigno Aquino earlier said he wanted to see greater security and better equipment for the peacekeepers, amended rules of engagement to allow troops to defend themselves when attacked, and the replacement of the Austrian contingent, which withdrew last month amid safety concerns. The Philippines' Foreign Ministry earlier recommended the pull-out of the Filipino peacekeepers after dozens of them were abducted in two incidents and one was injured in violence related to the conflict in Syria.