DRC: "I was unable to convince my colleagues", Bernard Kouchner

(B2) It was a Bernard Kouchner, not discouraged but rather bitter who faced the journalists, after the meeting of the 27 foreign ministers, the French minister who chaired the meeting could not help showing the limits of European enthusiasm in relation to the conflictual situation prevailing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (ex-Zaire).

No indignation without image. “The situation is deteriorating, and it is really heartbreaking to see that more and more people are in the camps for the displaced, which we have already visited. But what can we do? I said that Europe had to do something, by securing humanitarian workers. But what do you want. (…) I did not succeed in convincing my colleagues”. And to explain: “There is no indignation without an image. And you will see more and more devastated images on North Kivu", he warned. The situation is really complex, because there are fights between several groups (CNDP, Mai-Mai) as well as the Congolese army - including certain groups - have also committed numerous abuses".

Limited European military capabilities. But the spite pierced under the politeness of the remarks. If the Minister did not want to implicate his defense colleagues (*), it was not
not far away. "I was told (on his proposal for European intervention) that European capabilities are not sufficiently available. We must surely strengthen our European security and defense policy". Concerning the two duty battlegroups, he confirmed that the Germans did not want to intervene. Neither did the British, but in a less assertive way. In fact, salvation will come from India. "Since Karel (De Gucht, the Belgian minister), confirmed it to us, India will send 1200 Guhrkas" (they should arrive by the end of the month).

Monuc's rules of engagement in question. Doubtless it is also necessary to strengthen MONUC whose "rules of engagement are perhaps not well defined. What do you want to do, we have troops who sometimes cannot fire, or only to defend themselves." So much for the public comments...

"Kinshasa, it's time to go back". Then, leaving the room, and meeting General Joana - former head of the "security reform (Eusec)" mission in the Congo and now Africa adviser to Javier Solana, the EU's high representative for foreign policy - who greets him "We saw each other in Kinshasa, Mr. Minister", Kouchner could not help but reply to him, out of the blue: "Well yes Kinshasa, it would be time to go back there, and even further east,” he explains.

(*) In general, all EU Defense Ministers were reluctant to military intervention unlike some Foreign Ministers, Belgian and Dutch in particular more inclined to it.

(NGV)

(Photo: Council of the European Union)