France pledges to continue supporting CEMAC peacekeeping force

France will continue to support the peacekeeping force of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC) in the Central African Republic (CAR) until the end of the transition period in the country, a French military official told government-controlled Radio Centrafrique on Wednesday. "That support will certainly last for some time, reasonably and surely until the elections," the advisor to the French army chief of staff for the Middle East and Africa, Gen Pellegrini, said after meeting with CAR leader Francois Bozize in the capital, Bangui. Bozize, who ousted former President Ange-Felix Patasse in a coup on 15 March, has said the transition would last between 18 and 30 months, and would end with presidential and parliamentary elections. He has stated that he will not contest the presidency after the transition. Comprising 350 men from Chad, Gabon and the Republic of Congo, the CEMAC force has been in the CAR since December 2002. Its initial mandate was to protect Patasse, secure the CAR-Chad border and to restructure the army. The force's mandate after the coup is yet to be determined. Cameroon and Mali - which is not a CEMAC member - have yet to send their contingents to the force, which is almost entirely supported by France. Since Friday, the CEMAC force has been involved in a massive operation with government forces to restore security in the capital city. Soon after the coup, France sent 300 troops to Bangui, initially to repatriate foreigners wishing to leave the country. However, following a request from Bozize, French troops have remained in the country, although they have not yet been involved in any operation. Meanwhile, the government of Sudan has offered 10 four-wheel vehicles and military equipment to the CAR army, to help it restore security in the country. Sudanese Minister of Defence, Bakri Hassan Saleh, who is on a tour of the country, made the offer to Bozize on Wednesday. Sudan sent a 30-man contingent to Bangui after the 28 May 2001 coup attempt by former President Andre Kolingba. Together with soldiers from Libya and Djibouti, within the framework of the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), they fought Bozize's troops in November 2001 when Bozize first rebelled against Patasse, and in October 2002, when he invaded Bangui's northern suburbs. They were replaced in December 2002 by the CEMAC force. Analysts perceive Sudan's donation to the CAR army as a formal recognition of Bozize's administration by Sudan, which borders the CAR to the east.