A ' tricky assignment' for the EU force in Chad

"Ireland's participation in the European Union's emerging military structures will be put to a difficult test now that the 3,700-strong United Nations mandated operation in Chad has been given the go-ahead", notes the daily referring to the decision made on January 28th by EU foreign ministers. "Irish troops will be working with the Nordic battlegroup, including troops from Finland, Sweden, Poland and Austria, along with officers from eight other EU member states. It [the EU force] cannot be perceived there as an instrument of French policy if it is to succeed. That will require a sophisticated communications policy, as well as close political monitoring ... . There is no doubting the professionalism of the Irish and other troops involved. But it is important that the political difficulties they face be understood as clearly as the daunting logistical ones which have also delayed this deployment."

» more information (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » Ireland, » Africa, » Europe

» To the complete press review of Tuesday, January 29, 2008