EU may send troops to Chad, CAR
2007-07-19 09:19
Brussels - European Union officials may send soldiers to Chad and the Central African Republic to protect civilians caught up in the brutal Darfur conflict in neighbouring Sudan, said EU diplomats on Wednesday.
Officials would meet on Monday to study the proposal after the United Nations approached the EU for help. One diplomat political approval for the move could come as early as September.
He added: "Deployment could then start in October, in phase with what the UN does."
Another diplomat said that while the size of the European force was still to be decided, they tended to be talking about between 1 500 and 2 500 soldiers.
He said the main contributors to the force would be French. France already had soldiers based in both countries. One diplomat said: "But we are looking for the participation of other European countries."
Multi-dimensional UN mission
The United States-based group, Human Rights Watch, warned on Tuesday about the need to avoid any confusion between a French and a European force, given Paris' strong political ties with Chad and the Central African Republic.
Jean-Marie Guehenno, head of UN peacekeeping operations, had talks with EU officials about this question on Monday and Tuesday.
Last week, he said the UN security council was hoping for a EU military force along with "a multi-dimensional UN mission with a strong police component".
They would help specialised Chadian forces ensure security in camps for refugees and internally displaced persons in the area.
He emphasised the need for close "co-ordination mechanisms" in the form of liaison offices between such a EU-UN force and the planned African Union-UN force that was to take over peacekeeping from cash-strapped AU troops in Darfur.
Last month, Khartoum accepted the deployment of the joint UN-AU peacekeeping force that would have at least 20 000 soldiers in Darfur.
Sudan and Chad accused each other of supporting rebel forces in their respective territories.