German parliament approves troop deployment in Congo

BERLIN (Reuters) – The German parliament on Thursday
overwhelmingly approved the government’s plan to deploy German
troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo during its July
election, despite public skepticism about the mission.

Members of the Bundestag, the lower house of the German
parliament, approved the mission with 440 votes in favor, 135
against and six abstentions.

Germany, which is supplying some 780 troops for the mission
to maintain order during Congo’s July 30 election, will lead
the European Union force from headquarters in Potsdam, Germany.
France will command the troops on the ground.

Some 16 EU nations will contribute troops and equipment for
the four-month mission. The troops will be deployed in Congo
and along the borders in neighboring countries.

A survey by polling group Forsa for Stern magazine showed
on Wednesday that 57 percent of Germans oppose the mission.

The election in Congo is meant to draw a line under a
five-year war and humanitarian crisis which involved six
neighboring countries and killed at least 4 million people. The
vote will be the first multi-party poll in over four decades.