The decision to extend the deployment to September 2008 came at a regular weekly foreign ministry meeting and still requires parliamentary approval, which is expected at a vote in mid-September.

Berlin has contributed eight ships and 960 sailors to the naval force patrolling the coast of Lebanon to prevent weapons from being smuggled to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. It's the first time since World War II that the German military has been stationed in the Middle East.

"The deployment has been extremely effective and successful," deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg told reporters Wednesday. "Arms smuggling has become practically impossible."

During the mission's first year, radio contact was made with 8,500 vessels, of which 35 were later searched in port by Lebanese authorities. Military force was not required in any of the inspections, according to the German military, or Bundeswehr, although it did not say whether any weapons had been confiscated.

Fewer troops

Germany continued to rule out contributing ground troops to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) in order to preclude the possibility of a confrontation with Israeli troops. Berlin also cut the maximum number of military personnel allowed to serve under the UNFIL mandate by 1,000 to 1,400.

"We are not reducing the quality of the deployment," Steg said, adding that the UN had never requested more than 1,400 troops.

Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung has said Germany will maintain leadership of the UN's navel component until March, as requested by both Lebanon and Israel. Which country will take over heading the mission is still unclear. Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands and Turkey also participate in the naval mission.

The second year of patrols is estimated to cost the German government 95 million euros ($128 million), according to Germany's DPA news agency.