| Series Title | European Voice |
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| Series Details | Vol.12, No.5, 9.2.06 |
| Publication Date | 09/02/2006 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 09/02/06 Representatives of EU member states will discuss the possibility of sending an EU peacekeeping force to the Democratic Republic of Congo when they meet on Friday (10 February) in Brussels. Diplomats in the Political and Security Committee will discuss the results of a recent fact-finding mission to the country, as well as a report from a mission to New York which has examined the United Nations' request for EU assistance. The UN has asked the EU to provide back-up for its force in Congo during upcoming parliament- ary elections. "We have to get feedback from these missions, it is still not really clear what the exact role will be," said a French spokesperson. EU officials have dismissed suggestions that time is running out to organise the mission. "In Rafah [the EU's border support mission in Gaza] we reacted in less than two weeks, we can do it when we have a precise task to fulfil," said one official. Diplomats say that next week will also see a deadline for Congolese lawmakers to adopt an electoral law so that the elections can go ahead as scheduled on 29 April. The deadline for the law to be passed in order to allow elections to start on time is 15 February. On Monday (13 February) the EU will co-host, with the United Nations, a major ministerial conference aimed at co-ordinating the international community's assistance for the post-election period. The conference will launch a Humanitarian Action Plan which is expected to set out how much money is needed from the 40 donors who will attend. The figure is expected to run into hundreds of thousands of euro. The UN has requested assistance from the EU in the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Countries / Regions | Africa, Europe |
