Germany says ready to offer airlift to Darfur

BRUSSELS, June 9 (Reuters) – Germany offered on Thursday to airlift African troops and provide equipment for their peace mission in Sudan’s stricken Darfur region.

German soldiers enter a Transall C-160 cargo plane at the military airbase Penzing, 50 kilometers (28 miles) west of Munich, southern Germany, on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2004. (AP).

Defence Minister Peter Struck said it was irrelevant whether the German contribution was made under a NATO or European Union banner, insisting there should be no competition between the two bodies, both of which have agreed to help.

“We are ready to fly in African soldiers from other states … and to make available equipment, notably generators,” he told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels.

Asked whether Germany would, like France, insist its contribution was part of an EU support package rather than participate in what will be NATO’s first operation in Africa, he replied: “In fact I don’t mind”.

“I think this is a completely irrelevant discussion. One should simply agree to help. Who takes the lead in coordinating it is secondary,” he said.

Darfur rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in early 2003 and tens of thousands have been killed in the fighting. Almost 2 million have fled their homes to makeshift camps, where thousands die every month from malnutrition and disease.

The African Union has ruled out Western soldiers helping it on the ground in Darfur, but in April asked both the EU and NATO for logistical help in expanding its operation.

The United States and others had suggested the 26-nation NATO used its military planning capabilities to coordinate Western airlift to the AU as it bids to triple its force in Darfur to 7,700 troops by late-September.

The proposal was dropped after France insisted its offer to airlift two Senegalese battalions was part of an EU package of help and that there was no need for NATO to coordinate it.

NATO officials deny the episode showed tension between the alliance and the EU.

Under arrangements expected to be approved by the EU in coming days, the coordination of NATO and EU operations will be handled by an AU-led cell in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa supported by a small number of staff from both bodies.