8 March 2005
BRUSSELS – Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht has demanded an end to Wallonian arms sales to Tanzania.
De Gucht said the decision by the French-speaking community to help build an armaments factory in Tanzania totally undermined efforts by the federal government to stabilise the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
His comments were made to Belgian daily newspaper De Standaard.
The New Lachaussee factory in Liege is currently delivering machines to modernise the production line at a munitions factory in Tanzania.
“The Wallonian region maintains that these machines will only be used to produce munitions for the Tanzanian army. The reality is that in the near future, people in the East of Congo will be killed by these bullets,” said De Gucht.
[Copyright Expatica 2005]
Subject: Belgian news