EU responds to Congolese crisis

Thursday, 5 June 2003 12:00 AM

The controversial European Rapid Reaction Force will be deployed to the Congo in a bid to end the mass killing of civilians in central Africa.

It will be the first time the new military entity will operate without the logistical support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in its venture outside of Europe.

Up to 400 villagers have been killed in the last month due to tribal in-fighting.

The new enlarged army will mostly comprise of French military personnel, who were authorised by the United Nations for action last week.

Alongside French troops will be African, Belgian, British, Canadian troops amongst others; forming a 1,400 alliance.

Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy representative said of the decision to send the peacekeeping force: 'This is something politically very important. It proves that the European Union has the will to act.'

Germany's defence minister said his country would offer logistical support but was unlikely to send ground troops.

According to French U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, the civil war in the Congo has killed an estimated three million people in the last five years.

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