AFRICA/DR CONGO - EU military mission for general elections on June 18

Kinshasa (Fides Service)- The European Union has approved the deployment of a small military contingent in Democratic Congo on the occasion of general elections in June this year.
A group of 450 men will guarantee security at Kinshasa airport and arrange evacuation measures for EU observers if necessary. Another 800 men as a support and reserve force will stand by in a neighbouring country.
The duration of the EU mission has yet to be established although some sources refer to a period of at least 4 months. The mission will start a month before the election date 18 June, and remain for the electoral process, vote counting and announcement of the results.
The EU mission will be directed from headquarters in Posdam, Germany. Whereas the operations commando in Kinshasa will be entrusted to France. Germany and France will each supply 500 troops. Six other European countries will send smaller contingents.
The European force will be in Congo in addition to 17,000 soldiers of a UN peacekeeping mission MONUC deployed to guarantee respect for a cease fire in DRC following a peace agreement to end a bloody civil war 1998-2003 in which at least 3 million people were killed. The agreement established a transition period and a national unity government. A new constitution was drafted and approved by a popular referendum last December. General elections on 18 June will mark the end of the transition period and the return of democracy.
The Independent Electoral Commission said 25 million electors registered between 20 June 2005 to 10 February this year. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/3/2006 righe 39 parole 360)