TALLINN. Jan 16 (Interfax) - The Estonian government made a decision to send its soldiers as part of an EU mission to the Central African Republic at a meeting on Thursday.
The Estonian Defense Ministry was tasked to prepare a bill that envisions dispatching up to 55 soldiers to the African state, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip told journalists.
The goal of the EU mission will be to prevent the Central African Republic from sliding into a humanitarian disaster and to assist French soldiers stationed in the country, he said.
A scout unit of 35 soldiers and an auxiliary unit are expected to go to the Central African Republic, Estonian Defense Minister Urmas Reinsalu said.
"This will be a one-time mission. It will remain in the Central African Republic for a shorter period than it did in Afghanistan, four months, due to the severe climate," Reinsalu said.
France dispatched its soldiers to the Central African Republic to deal with the bloody conflict there.