*AS EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET ON CONGO,
NEW OPINION POLLS CALL FOR ACTION *
Majorities in Sweden, Spain, Germany
Support Sending Peacekeepers to Congo
As Part of A European Contingent
European Foreign Ministers thus far refusing to commit troops,
but set to discuss Congo again today
In new YouGov/Avaaz public opinion polls in Sweden, Spain and Germany, when asked "To what extent would you support or oppose [Swedish/German/Spanish] troops being part of a European peacekeeping contingent in Congo?", clear majorities of those with an opinion said they would support deploying their own country's troops to Congo.
In Spain, 57% of those with an opinion supported deploying Spanish troops to Congo as part of a European contingent, and only 18% were opposed. In Sweden, 51% of those with an opinion supported deploying Swedish troops, and only 25% were opposed; in Germany, 50% of those with an opinion supported deploying German troops to Congo, and only 33% were opposed.
(More poll results linked from this blog soon - for now, follow the link below to read full press release)
These are the findings of YouGov polls taken last week in Sweden, Spain and Germany for the global web movement Avaaz.
Last Friday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon wrote formally to EU High Representative Javier Solana and Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme asking them to help organise a European force for Congo. The previous weekend, Ban had spoken to Belgian foreign minister Karel de Gucht with the same request. After speaking with European counterparts, de Gucht told the media other states were refusing to commit troops, and late last week Solana was dismissing the idea. But European foreign ministers are set to discuss the situation in eastern Congo again today (Monday) in Brussels.
"The people of Congo, over 140,000 of our members and the UN Secretary-General have called for European peacekeepers as the only way to protect Congo's civilians -- this poll shows that European citizens are way ahead of their governments, and ready to do what it will take," said Avaaz's Executive Director, Ricken Patel. "It's time for Fredrik Reinfeldt, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Angela Merkel and all EU leaders to listen to their people on this issue, and to agree urgently to deploy European peacekeepers."
Avaaz has been campaigning for a European peacekeeping force to protect civilians in Congo. Avaaz's European members have sent their leaders 75,040 messages urging them to act in the last three weeks, and Avaaz took out member-funded advertisements in several European newspapers last week asking key leaders to contribute to this force. Go to www.avaaz.org/congo to see updates on Avaaz's Congo campaigning.
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