Jospin urges bigger Senegalese role

The French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, who is on a tour of African countries, has called for Senegal to play a leading role in UN peacekeeping operations.

Speaking in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, Mr Jospin said recent events in Africa had shown that no country could be safe from intolerance and violence which crossed national borders.

Although his government has begun cuts in the French military presence in Africa, Mr Jospin said the policy was aimed at improving rather than reducing France's role.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service