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The mission in South Sudan comes up against a tricolor questioning

(credit: Google map)

(BRUSSELS2, exclusive) When a diplomat speaks of “questioning”, it is often a polite word to say “I do not agree”. And that's what seems to have happened at the last meeting of the Political and Security Committee (PSC). According to our information, the PSC had on its agenda the project of a new European mission in South Sudan. It was a question of giving the green light to what constitutes an important stage in the planning of a European peacekeeping mission, the preparation of the concept of crisis management (CMC), for a mission, civilian, police , aimed at securing Juba airport, and training the future staff of the new independent state. Discussions were going well. And most European countries seemed, with more or less enthusiasm, to agree on the launch of this mission. But, surprisingly, it was France that expressed its "question" and prevented decisions being taken. To be continued...

(Update) Explanation: on the French side, it is estimated that other older files that are just as crucial in terms of security, such as the Sahel, Libya, Côte d'Ivoire... have still not received the same attention in the follow-up and the speed with which a CMC is proposed for Sudan. " It is a way to have discussions with the EEAS on these subjects, an expert on the matter told me. France did not seem alone. Other countries - like Sweden in particular - also seemed quite reserved or surprised by the method.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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