BRUSSELS, June 13 (UPI) -- The European Union is appalled by the conflict in DRC but remains committed to long-term development goals, the top European foreign policy chief said.
Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo escalated when rebel Gen. Bosco Ntaganda waged mutiny in April, sending thousands of refugees streaming across the border.
Catherine Ashton, the top foreign policy official for the European Commission, told European lawmakers she was appalled by the level of violence in DRC.
"Clear messages have been passed to all stakeholders in order to encourage a constructive approach in the current circumstances," she said in her address. "The EU recalls the need for all illegal armed groups to lay down their weapons and avoid further violence."
Nevertheless, the country had made gains, most recently with democratic elections in 2011. DRC, said Ashton, is a "fragile state" struggling to recover from a legacy of deprivation.
The priority for Europe, she said, was to work with international partners to prevent the situation from backsliding.
Ashton said the EU is committed to long-term support for DRC as the country works to build a sustainable future.
"It is the people of the DRC we are determined to help, and to do so through a comprehensive approach that tackles the many inter-linked problems they face," she said. "We will persevere."
