EU passes the buck on Zaire even though ministers voice concern

Stephen Bates in Brussels and Chris McGreal in Gisenyi

EUROPEAN Union ministers spent yesterday squabbling over the extent of help to resolve the conflict on Zaire's eastern border.

In the end, no decision was made on the scale of an aid effort for refugees caught in the conflict, or on whether European troops would ultimately be deployed. A final statement confined itself to offering deep concern and promising that the EU would play a fun part in tackling the humanitarian crisis.

Meeting in Brussels, the aid ministers did agree that another body should do something. They called on the United Nations, Security Council to decide "within hours" on the deployment of troops in Zaire to secure safe corridors for aid and safeguard humanitarian efforts But most declined to offer troops for such an operation. Ministers from France and Spain which have promised to send up to 1,000 troops each for what they see as a 5,000 person forceangrily denounced other member states for failing to back them.

Other countries, including Germany and Belgium which was once the colonial power in the region and Britain supported calls from African governments for the deployment of a socalled neutral force. But all declined to offer military aid. Hervé de Charette, the French foreign minister, said: "I am knocking on doors asking if anyone is prepared to assume their responsibilities and the answer is, 'could you come back tomorrow', or, 'we might lend an aircraft'. The main obstacle is the international community's spinelessness."

Britain's Baroness Chalker, the Overseas Aid Minister, retorted: "He ought to find out what the facts are before he accuses people of things."

Spanish officials claimed the meeting had been almost a failure. They were scathing of the participants for discussing the political situation rather than the aid issue.

1a Emma,Bonino, the European Commission's humanitarian aid commits stoner, and aid ministers from Ireland, the Netherlands and Italy, will visit the region at the weekend.

About 1 million refugees are scattered across eastern Zairemost of them Rwandan Hutus dispersed by the recent offensive by ethnic Tutsi rebels in the east of Zaire. Refugees began arriving in the Zairean tourn of Kisangani on swollen feet yesterday after fleeing the fighting far to the east, around Bukavu, aid officials said.

"They say there are hundreds behind on the road," said Claude Olenga, the local administrator of the religious charity Caritas.

Near Goma yesterday, Zairean rebels and Rwandan Hutu extremists fought gun battles around what had been the largest refugee camp in the world near Goma, as the rebel troops extended their control over eastern Zaire.

Mortar and machine-gun fire was heard near Mugunga camp, about 10 miles northwest of Goma. Smoke billowed from burning shelters in what may have been a deliberate attempt to destroy the camp to prevent refugees moving back in.

Earlier this week the UN said Mugunga had largely emptied as most of its 400,000 residents headed west, deeper into Zaire, away from the rebel advance.