German soldiers to avoid Congo for EU mission
By Honor Mahony
Most of the German troops planned for the EU mission in Congo to secure elections will not travel to the African country, according to German media.
FT Deutschland reports that the troops will be stationed in neighbouring Gabon and will only be used in an emergency.
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"The bulk of the forces will be held ready in Gabon and Europe and only transferred in an emergency," defence ministry sources are quoted as saying.
Up until now, it was assumed that German troops would be stationed in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, to oversee the country's first democratic elections on 30 June.
The German government is to agree the exact mandate of the Congolese mission today (17 May); the issue will then go before the parliament which has the final say on the use of German troops, also in international missions.
The news about the German troops comes even as development NGOs are already saying that 1,500 troops is not enough to stabilise an emergency situation in Congo, if trouble breaks out.
It also comes after months of EU wrangling over the exact make up of the mission with many EU states slow to send troops to the turbulent African state.
The German government, led by chancellor Angela Merkel, agreed to provide around one third of the troops for the EU operation.
The military planning will be conducted from a German headquarters in Potsdam, while France will lead the EU forces on the ground.
Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Spain and Sweden have also pledged to contribute to the mission.