Athens, 21/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - One of the main issues discussed at the meeting of EU28 defence ministers in Athens on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 February was the upcoming launch of EUFOR RCA, an EU military operation in the Central African Republic and a relatively detailed timeline was drawn up for the next few stages. The EU Council of Ministers is expected to formally launch the operation at some point between 7 and 10 March and the first troops will be deployed immediately afterwards.
Ministers took a two-pronged approach to the talks on the Central African Republic on Friday 21 February - the humanitarian and security side, and preparations for launch of EUFOR RCA. Head of EUFOR RCA, French general Philippe Pontiès, and the deputy director general of the United Nations with responsibility for peace-keeping mission, Hervé Ladsous, attended the meeting. Greek Defence Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said after the meeting that the ministers were very concerned about the situation in the country.
A high-ranking EU military official said that the aim of assembling a thousand or so soldiers would be reached after the second call for contributions (a conference on the generation of forces) on Tuesday 25 February. Between 7 and 10 March, the formal decision to launch the operation will be taken. Deployment will then be very rapid, but phased. General Pontiès will decide which troops are to be sent to Bangui first. The operation will comprise five companies, including one for troop protection and one from the Force Européenne de Gendarmerie. The biggest contributions so far are from France (200 soldiers), Poland (140 soldiers) and Georgia (130 soldiers). (JK/transl.fl)