Belgium prepares for Congo evacuation

Guy Verhofstadt: "We are taking all precautionary measures"

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Belgium is ready to air-lift up to 2,300 Belgians out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the apparent coup attempt in the country.

The country also sending a team of security agents and a reconnaissance team to Gabon to prepare for the possible evacuation.

Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel said the air-lift would go ahead if necessary, but it was too early to say if such action was needed.

Belgium is Congo's former colonial ruler and retains close ties with the nation, formerly named Zaire.

Congo's President Laurent Kabila is reported to have been killed in the apparent coup.

On the air-lift, Michel said after an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday: "We have to wait and see how the situation evolves. We have the situation under constant surveillance."

Further meetings between Michel, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and Defence Minister Andre Flahaut took place on Wednesday.

Verhofstadt told an impromptu news conference that the situation in Congo was "quiet" and there was no need as yet to launch an evacuation.

But he added: "We are taking all precautionary measures."

In August 1998, Belgium airlifted hundreds of foreign nationals from the war-torn country to the Gabonese capital, Libreville.

Sabena, Belgium's national carrier, said it had cancelled a planned flight to Kinshasa on Wednesday.

It said it would assess the situation before deciding whether to go ahead with the next scheduled flight to the Congolese capital on Friday.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Congolese government appeals for calm, does not confirm reports Kabila is dead
January 17, 2001

Belgian Foreign Office

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.