EVORA, Portugal (AFP) — French Defence Minister Herve Morin urged his EU counterparts Friday to contribute troops to a new peacekeeping force for Chad and the Central African Republic.
"What we want is a truly European mission," said Morin, whose country is expected to provide 1,000-1,500 troops to the UN-mandated operation expected to deploy up to 4,000 soldiers.
"The Irish said yesterday (Thursday) that they would send 300 men," he said, ahead of two days of informal talks with his EU counterparts in Evora, central Portugal.
Belgium and Poland have pledged more than 100 troops each to the force while other countries like militarily neutral Austria are also considering a role. The mission is aimed at protecting civilians from the effects of the Darfur conflict.
"For the Austrians, as well as the other contributions, the more numerous they are, the bigger they will be, and the better this (force) will be," said Morin.
The force, which diplomats expect to deploy in November, was mandated by a UN Security Council resolution adopted Tuesday.
Under it terms, 300 UN policemen will monitor camps for Darfur refugees and internally displaced persons, who number respectively around 236,000 and 173,000 in Chad alone.
The UN police officers would be protected by the EU force, which would be led by a British general.
But drumming up troops will prove a problem.
Twenty-one EU nations are also members of NATO, and have been called on to provide forces for Afghanistan and Kosovo, in Bosnia by the EU and in Lebanon under the United Nations.
Germany has confirmed that it will not take part.
"We will give political support to the Chad military position but not troops," German Defence Minister Franz Joseph Jung said.
Sweden has said it could provide 160 troops.
"A force can't just be assembled in two weeks," a French diplomat said, adding: "It's only been three days since the UN approved the European force."
Regardless of who takes part, US-based rights watchdog Human Rights Watch said it is important that the force protect civilians not just those made homeless.
"An international deployment could help stabilize the region and allow people to return safely to their homes," said Peter Takirambudde, Human Rights Watch's Africa division director.
"But it is crucial that the force provide protection to all of those at risk, not just to refugees and displaced persons," he said, and added: "This will mean interpreting their mandate as broadly as possible."
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