France urges European presence in CAR

French President Francois Hollande has renewed calls for a ‘European presence’ in the Central African Republic, saying he expects Poland to provide military support for the French troops in the African country.

“At the moment there are some ongoing contacts sometimes to a very good extent. I have Poland in mind … to provide troops for operations that could add up to ours. If the decision is confirmed tomorrow, then the operation will be considered a European one, opening the way to European financing,” Hollande said at the end of the first day of European Union summit talks on Thursday.

The French president also welcomed logistical backing from some European countries including Belgium, Britain, Germany and Poland.

“What I would like to see, politically, is a European presence. That it not be said that ‘France is alone,’” he said at a news conference.

The remarks come as according to an unnamed EU diplomat, there is a great difference between a European and a European Union operation, as only the latter could be given EU funding, on condition of unanimous agreement from all 28 EU nations.

On December 17, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said troops from other European countries would join the 1,600-strong French forces in the Central African Republic.

However, there has been no word of ground troops up to now from other states after France dispatched its troops to the Central African Republic, claiming that the aim of the mission is to create stability in the country in order to allow humanitarian aid to reach violence-hit areas.

The mission in the Central African Republic is France’s second military intervention in Africa in 2013, which was launched after the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution giving the African Union and France the go-ahead to send troops to the African country.

MR/HSN/HMV

 

Source Article from http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/12/20/340975/france-seeks-european-presence-in-car/

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