In Congo, EU diplomacy is active, the military behind the scenes

(B2) The solution will above all be "diplomatic". This is the current leitmotif of all European officials who, in all tones, explain that in the Congo, the place remains for diplomacy. Bernard Kouchner and David Milliband, the French and British ministers will be on site today, in Kinshasa and Kigali. While the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Action, Louis Michel returns this morning from a 48-hour tour. His compatriot, the Belgian Foreign Minister, De Gucht, goes to Kigali. During this time, the High Representative of the Union's diplomacy, Javier Solana is active on the telephone, having successively the main political leaders of the region (Kagamé in Rwanda, Kabila in Congo)... Everyone will meet, this Monday, in Marseilles for an informal meeting, "Gymnich" a little special normally devoted to the preparation of the summit with the Usa, which ends up with the subject of the Congo as the main theme of the meeting.

The military solution in the background. Does this mean that any military solution is excluded? No. Admittedly, the option paper presented by the French presidency was not accepted as it stands today by the COPS (policy and security committee). It is a proven fact. That doesn't mean that tomorrow... it will be the same. Everything will depend on the evolution on the ground... and the media pressure. Even if some Europeans seem very reluctant (Germans in particular), the memory of neighboring Rwanda in 1994 weighs on many consciences. And the Europeans will not be able to escape their responsibilities for too long. The ICRC delegate on site speaks of a catastrophic humanitarian situation in North Kivu.

European aid. Concretely, the High Representative has been asked to work on solutions other than the diplomatic one and the European Commission on humanitarian support. Possible military support for MONUC on a more national basis could be considered. With a variant: the sending of elements of the already constituted Battlegroups (French, Belgian, even British, one can observe the commitment of the British minister, Milliband, on the question). All on an operation limited in duration and in mission - to provide humanitarian aid to the population, to hold Goma airport... - which avoids interfering too much and getting involved in a Congolese-Congolese conflict. In addition, the European Union could provide MONUC with analysis and intelligence capabilities, via specialists from the EU satellite center in Torrejon.

Be that as it may, in military matters, the important effect being the effect of surprise, it is now important to be fairly silent on the preparations in progress. And if there is an emergency, the elements
Europeans will be deployed and we will then "regularise".

(NGV)