The European Union (EU) member states approved on Thursday a
peacekeeping mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo to support
the United Nations (UN) peacekeepers.
EU justice and interior ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on
Thursday and Friday, also appointed operation and force commanders
of the German-led mission.
"The EU is determined to support the electoral process and the
Congolese people at this historic juncture," EU High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said in a
statement.
"Today's decision, which follows the authorization of the EU
operation by the Security Council, further confirms that this
operation is well on track. Support now will help embed peace in
the DRC and the region after years of conflict."
Some 400 to 450 European military personnel will be deployed in
the Congolese capital Kinshasa ahead of the planned June elections.
Others will be on standby either in a neighboring country or in
Europe.
Costs for the joint military operation are expected to amount to
€ 16.7 million (US$20.7 million).
Besides Germany, countries taking part include Belgium, France,
Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Ireland, Finland, and Austria.
The operational headquarters for the mission will be the German
armed forces command center in Potsdam, near Berlin. France will
provide the force's headquarters in Kinshasa.
The ministers appointed German Lieutenant General Karlheinz
Viereck as EU Operation Commander and named French Major General
Christian Damay EU Force Commander.
The German parliament must still approve the mission.
The tasks of the mission include assisting UN peacekeepers to
stabilize a situation; to protect civilians under imminent threat
of physical violence; to contribute to airport protection in
Kinshasa and to ensure the security and freedom of movement of the
EU personnel and installations.
The United Nations has 17,000 peacekeepers in the DR Congo but
has warned that more soldiers are needed to prevent violence and
ensure stability ahead of the June polls.
The EU also conducted a military operation in Congo's war-torn
Bunia province in 2003 on the basis of a UN request.
(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2006)
