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Copyright © 1997 The Seattle Times Company

Monday, June 16, 1997

French evacuate Brazzaville

by Alexandra Zavis
Associated Press

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo - The Republic of Congo's warring sides tried to arrange a peace summit while French troops began to depart from the capital today, saying their job of rescuing foreigners was over.

France's announcement yesterday that it would withdraw its troops was followed by some of the fiercest fighting in days between forces of President Pascal Lissouba and his rival, Gen. Denis Sassou-Nguesso.

The two factions were believed to be jockeying for position to capture the airport, now controlled by French forces. Mortar and automatic-rifle fire were heard all night.

Delegates from both sides began talks today in Libreville, Gabon, to lay the groundwork for a summit between the two leaders. The presidents of Gabon, the Central African Republic and Chad and diplomats from the United Nations, the European Union and France were observing the talks.

Fighting erupted June 5 when Lissouba sent government forces to disarm Sassou-Nguesso's private Cobra militia. He said he acted to avert violence before a July 27 presidential election in this Central African nation.

Sassou-Nguesso, a former dictator who will run against Lissouba, claimed the president sparked the clashes to have an excuse to delay the vote and keep power.

Delegates of the two sides went yesterday to Libreville, Gabon, to set up talks.

"There are reasonable, serious people who want peace," French Ambassador Raymond Cesaire, who attended the preliminary talks, said yesterday.

Lissouba, speaking on French television yesterday, appealed to his country's former colonial ruler to leave troops in Brazzaville, afraid that a French pullout might lead to the collapse of his government.

"I launch a strident appeal. We would have liked the French forces, with ourselves and with the opposition . . . to create a peacekeeping force to avoid what has been happening today," he told France 3 television.

France has airlifted about 6,000 foreigners from the city since the violence began.

After flying out more than 230 people yesterday, France had declared its mission over, saying those who wanted to leave had been flown out.

It was expected to take the 1,200 French soldiers several days to leave the city.