350 Polish to participate in EU force for Darfur in Chad

November 23, 2007 (WARSAW) — Poland plans to boost its contribution to a European Union peacekeeping force to protect refugees along the borders of Sudan’s Darfur region to 350 soldiers, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in his inaugural policy speech to Parliament Friday.

“We will send 350 soldiers to Sudan,” said Tusk.

Initially Poland had indicated it would contribute 150 soldiers to the mission, following a request from France, the mission’s leader and its largest contributor, the Interfax reported.

The EU has approved a one-year mandate for the deployment of up to 4,000 service personnel to Eastern Chad and the northeastern part of the Central African Republic to protect the refugee camps near the Darfur borders, as well as to create conditions for the refugees to return home.

(ST)