Paris, 2 December 2008 – In the Democratic Republic of the Congo “for operational and security reasons, intervention has to be European”, says Mr Daniel DUCARME (Belgium, Liberal Group), member of the European Security and Defence Assembly/Assembly of WEU (ESDA/AWEU) and member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Rapporteur for the Political Committee of the ESDA on “A common security and defence strategy for Europe”.

Following the UN request for European forces to be deployed in DR Congo, the French Presidency of the European Union has called for urgent consultative talks in Brussels.

These talks are essential and any intervention has to be European, under the command of a European HQ, using an adapted EU standby battlegroup with a clearly defined command structure, possibly the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) in liaison with an operations centre (to be designated). For operational and security reasons, and for the sake of efficiency, this is the strict minimum that is required.

The talks should not focus solely on the UN’s current request, but should enable enhanced cooperation among willing European states leading to an active diplomatic, civil, humanitarian and military EU presence in partnership with the African Union.

This is likely to find support with the ESDA in discussions at its plenary session which opens today in Paris.