Germany might send troops to Sudan’s Darfur

Oct 11, 2005 (BONN) — The German Defence Minister Peter Struck said Struck did not rule out the deployment of German soldiers in the crisis region of Darfur.

First it is a matter of increasing the number of military observers in the south of the country. Up to 50 German military experts are planned.

However, it is possible that the EU and thus Germany will soon be faced with “a challenge” also “in Darfur,” he said.

Struck (Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD) said that the Bundeswehr will have to prepare for an increased commitment in Sudan within the framework of an EU mission.

After talks with Javier Solana, EU high representative for the common foreign and security policy, he stated that the EU would assume “special responsibility” in the African country. This would also be valid for the Bundeswehr.

Bundeswehr is the name of the armed forces of Germany. It is a federal defence force with Army, Navy, Air Force, Central Medical Services and Joint Service Support Command branches. In peacetime, the Bundeswehr is commanded by the Minister of Defence, currently Peter Struck since 2002. If Germany is in a state of defence, the chancellor becomes commander in chief of the Bundeswehr.

(ST)