BEIRUT (AFP) – The UN force in south Lebanon expects a "summer of peace" for the region despite the menace of more attacks on peacekeepers, their commander said in an interview published on Thursday. But he also called for more to be done in clearing the region of weapons."We take seriously the possibility of other attacks. We hope the new security measures and the political process will manage to prevent them," said Major-General Claudio Graziano of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL).

Three Spanish and three Colombian-born troops of UNIFIL were killed last Sunday in a bomb attack in southern Lebanon as they patrolled between the towns of Marjayoun and Khiam, about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Israeli border."There are still arms in the south. The Lebanese authorities must do more, with the support of UNIFIL, to secure the region and clear it of weapons," the general told leading Beirut daily An-Nahar. The Italian commander, whose comments were translated into Arabic, said there were no results yet from the UN probe into the attack, which has not been claimed by anyone.

"We believe there could be some possible link with what is happening in north Lebanon," he was quoted as saying, referring to the Lebanese army’s deadly showdown with Islamist militants in the north of the country.

It was the first fatal attack on peacekeepers since UNIFIL was reinforced last year following a devastating 34-day summer war between Israel and guerrillas of Lebanon’s Shiite group Hezbollah.

"I think that for the people of the south, this summer will be a summer of peace. And we will be taking care of the problem of terrorist attacks," Graziano told An-Nahar.

"I am sure we are strong enough and that we are in control of the Blue Line," the UN-demarcated border between Israel and Lebanon, he said. "At the moment, I don’t see any intention" between the two sides for renewed fighting.

The general said 13,000 troops were now deployed with UNIFIL, including about 1,800 patrolling at sea off the Lebanese coast. More reinforcements are due in coming months when South Korea will send soldiers, he said.