French generals, Mbabazi hold talks
Jul 03, 2003
FRANCE has hailed Uganda for supporting its efforts to stabilise the war-torn Bunia in the Ituri Province of the DR Congo
FRANCE has hailed Uganda for supporting its efforts to stabilise the war-torn Bunia in the Ituri Province of the DR Congo, reports Grace Matsiko.
“We are grateful to President Yoweri Museveni and the Government of Uganda for supporting us,†the French Chief of Defence, Gen. Henri Bentegeat, said after meeting defence minister Amama Mbabazi and Army chief Maj. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima in Kampala yesterday morning.
The meeting took place at the residence of the French Ambassador to Uganda, Jean-Bernard Thiant, on Ternan Avenue. Several French generals attended the closed-door meeting preceded by a brief press conference before Bentegeat flew to Bunia.
“We have received considerable help from your government and your country. We are indeed grateful,†the general told Mbabazi. Entebbe Airport is being used as a support base for the French-led multi-national mission in Bunia.
Mbabazi said Uganda had long been part of the effort to bring normalcy to the DR Congo leading to the formation of the Ituri Pacification Commission set up under the Luanda and the Dar-es-salaam agreements.
Bentegeat said France would not extend its operations in Bunia after September 1 and that the United Nations Mission in the DR Congo (MONUC) was expected to take over from them.
Mbabazi said Uganda hoped that the threat of genocide and the massacre of innocent civilians would be halted.
“This meeting was to restate our commitment and support to the French-led intervention and how we could continue co-operating to ensure that the operation is successful,†Mbabazi said when asked about the details of the meeting.
Ambassador Thiant said French commanders were expected to meet some DRC rebel chiefs in Bunia in a week’s time.
Meanwhile, Charles Opolot reports that two South African helicopters yesterday airlifted three French military generals for a meeting with Ugandan security personnel.
Major Guaham Chisholm, the leader of the flight crew, said the 16-seater passenger helicopters flew from Pretoria on Wednesday with three generals, stopped over in Malawi before flying to Entebbe.
“We arrived in Entebbe on Wednesday evening with three French generals, and we are leaving Uganda today, though I do not know of our next destination,†said Chisholm.
The planes hovered over Kampala early in the morning before landing at Kololo Airstrip.
When The New Vision visited Kololo, many idlers stood in small groups, a safe distance from the choppers with their mouths agape and arms clasped across their chests.
“We are grateful to President Yoweri Museveni and the Government of Uganda for supporting us,†the French Chief of Defence, Gen. Henri Bentegeat, said after meeting defence minister Amama Mbabazi and Army chief Maj. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima in Kampala yesterday morning.
The meeting took place at the residence of the French Ambassador to Uganda, Jean-Bernard Thiant, on Ternan Avenue. Several French generals attended the closed-door meeting preceded by a brief press conference before Bentegeat flew to Bunia.
“We have received considerable help from your government and your country. We are indeed grateful,†the general told Mbabazi. Entebbe Airport is being used as a support base for the French-led multi-national mission in Bunia.
Mbabazi said Uganda had long been part of the effort to bring normalcy to the DR Congo leading to the formation of the Ituri Pacification Commission set up under the Luanda and the Dar-es-salaam agreements.
Bentegeat said France would not extend its operations in Bunia after September 1 and that the United Nations Mission in the DR Congo (MONUC) was expected to take over from them.
Mbabazi said Uganda hoped that the threat of genocide and the massacre of innocent civilians would be halted.
“This meeting was to restate our commitment and support to the French-led intervention and how we could continue co-operating to ensure that the operation is successful,†Mbabazi said when asked about the details of the meeting.
Ambassador Thiant said French commanders were expected to meet some DRC rebel chiefs in Bunia in a week’s time.
Meanwhile, Charles Opolot reports that two South African helicopters yesterday airlifted three French military generals for a meeting with Ugandan security personnel.
Major Guaham Chisholm, the leader of the flight crew, said the 16-seater passenger helicopters flew from Pretoria on Wednesday with three generals, stopped over in Malawi before flying to Entebbe.
“We arrived in Entebbe on Wednesday evening with three French generals, and we are leaving Uganda today, though I do not know of our next destination,†said Chisholm.
The planes hovered over Kampala early in the morning before landing at Kololo Airstrip.
When The New Vision visited Kololo, many idlers stood in small groups, a safe distance from the choppers with their mouths agape and arms clasped across their chests.