Romania Okays Troops' Participation In Chad, CAR mission

Romania has approved the participation by troops in the European Union mission in Chad and the Central African Republic, Defence Ministry spokeswoman Andreea Dumitru announced late on Wednesday. According to her, the participation is now waiting for final approval of the Supreme Defence Council, Romania's top-most executive body able to decide on security and defence issues. The council includes the president, prime minister, defence and foreign ministers. The mission is scheduled to last a year, and it "has been launched in order to back the international community's moves amid the serious humanitarian situation of the refugees from Darfur, Sudan," Andreea Dumitru was quoted by the national Rompres news agency as saying. Romanian President Traian Basescu announced on Monday that his country will contribute to the EU force in Chad under the conditions to be decided upon by the UN Security Council. Romania has about 1,600 soldiers deployed abroad, with some 600 in Iraq and the rest in Afghanistan and Balkans.