THE EU/CONGO: The European Union has agreed to send soldiers to the Congo next week in the first deployment of its Rapid Reaction Force outside Europe. The 1,400-strong force, under French command, will include soldiers from a number of EU member-states. Denis Staunton reports from Brussels
The United Nations Security Council authorised the mission last week and the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, has said he would like Irish forces to participate. Diplomats were not certain yesterday, however, that an offer to send Irish troops would be accepted.
The mission, codenamed Artemis after the Greek goddess of hunting, was approved by EU ambassadors in Brussels yesterday and will receive the formal endorsement of foreign ministers today.
The EU began organising the force after the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, asked for help in the Congo, where hundreds have died in tribal fighting over the past month. The EU's foreign policy chief, Mr Javier Solana, welcomed yesterday's decision as an important step towards the EU playing a greater role on the world stage.
"This is something politically very important. It proves that the European Union has the will to act," he said.
Mr Solana said it was too early to say which EU members would participate, but he confirmed France would play the leading role.
France's Defence Minister, Ms Michele Alliot-Marie, said it would contribute about 1,000 peacekeepers and that it would take 45 days to complete the deployment. The mission will end on September 1st.