German parliament approves Sudan mission

BERLIN, Dec 3, 2004 (ddp) — The Bundeswehr will for the first time start a longer engagement in Africa and support the expanded African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS).

The Bundestag approved a corresponding decision by the cabinet with an overwhelming majority in the Bundestag on Friday.

Up to 200 soldiers are to be deployed for carrying out the air transportation of African troops to the crisis region of Darfur.

In a roll-call vote, 540 deputies voted in favour of the government’s proposal, 10 voted against it. The mission is limited to six months for the time being.

By BBC Monitoring Service, original text in German