CONGO: BRAZZAVILLE: FURTHER FIGHTING BREAKS OUT

Описание: (15 Jun 1997) French/Nat

Fighting erupted around the Brazzaville airport on Sunday as French troops prepared to pull out of the Republic of Congo.

Despite the shooting, three delegates from the warring factions in Congo have left the capital for Gabon to lay the groundwork for a peace summit.

But Brazzaville's mayor, Bernard Kolelas, who mediated an earlier ceasefire did not leave with the rest of the delegation, saying the situation in the capital was too fragile.

Bursts of gunfire around the airport on Sunday raised fears that the French pullout would plunge this central African capital back into chaos.

Several bus loads of refugees raced into the airport at Brazzaville late Sunday morning.

Accompanying them -- a French military escort.

The 39 Congolese refugees managed to get into the airport between bouts of fighting which flared up early Sunday.

Within hours, they flew out of the troubled central African state on two United Nations planes headed for Pointe Noire, a town on the Congolese coast.

An Air Gabon plane, carrying three delegations representing the warring factions, also later flew out of the airport. It was headed for Gabon.

But Brazzaville's Mayor, Bernard Kolelas, who mediated Wednesday's cease-fire, did not leave with the delegation -- saying that the situation in the capital was too fragile.

Efforts to arrange a summit between the leaders of warring factions have been stepped up amid fears a French withdrawal would plunge this central African capital back into chaos.

France announced that it will start withdrawing its troops as soon as its evacuation mission ends Sunday.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
We'd like to do everything we can do so that our troops can leave in full safety.
SUPER CAPTION: Raymond Cesaire, French Ambassador to the Congo.

France -- which has airlifted around 5-thousand-500 foreigners from the city since fighting broke out June 5 -- said most of those who wanted to leave had been flown out.

French forces were seen setting up mortar positions around the airport.

They are due to start pulling out later Sunday and it's expected to take several days for French troops to leave the city.

U-N peace envoy Mohamed Sahnoun said he was speaking to Paris about the possibility of leaving some troops behind to protect the airport.

From the airport control tower, soldiers were able to see heavy weapons, including cannons being rolled into position by the rival fighters.

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