Germany Approves Darfur Mission

The German parliament unanimously agreed Friday to provide up to 200 troops to help transport African Union soldiers into the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur. German soldiers will not however be based in Darfur, Junior Defense Minister Walter Kolbow told the Bundestag lower house of parliament. Germany will use two of its military transport planes to fly Tanzanian African Union troops into Darfur from Tanzania and a third plane will be put on standby. The AU decided last month to widen its mission in Darfur by sending 3,300 observers. Around 760 troops from Rwanda and Nigeria are already in the region having been transported by France and the United States. The international community must not allow "a genocide in slow motion" to take place in Darfur, Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul told parliament. Germany has set aside €2.25 million ($2.9 million) for aid for Darfur out of the European Union total of €92 million.