No prospects of EU force in Congo - Belgium

(Adds details)

By David Brunnstrom

BRUSSELS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Belgium said on Tuesday it saw no prospect for now of a European peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite efforts by the former colonial power to rally backing for such a force.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has led calls for Europe to provide a rapid reaction force to help overstretched U.N. peacekeepers halt violence in the North Kivu province where rebel attacks have displaced a quarter of a million people.

But Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, whose country has pledged to contribute troops within any European force, acknowledged after talks with European counterparts in Brussels that there was little appetite for such a mission.

"My feeling at this time is that it is not possible to mount a European mission at the moment," De Gucht told a news briefing after consultations.

"No country is willing to take a lead. Secondly, most of the countries say they are overstretched, firstly in Afghanistan but also in Iraq, so they have no troops ... available," he added.

De Gucht noted that current EU President France -- whose foreign minister Bernard Kouchner initially appeared keen on a European intervention -- had indicated it would not be lead-nation for a deployment.

Belgian officials have said the country's colonial past in Congo ruled out it taking any lead role. Britain has also been reluctant to back any such operation, aimed to take the strain while the 17,000-strong U.N. force awaits reinforcements.

EU soldiers intervened in Congo in 2003 to halt militia violence in northeast Ituri district that grew out of a broader 1998-2003 war, and to protect successful 2006 elections that returned President Joseph Kabila to office.

But this time the EU has said its help for now extends to humanitarian aid, diplomatic backing for peace efforts and backing for MONUC via offers of equipment, intelligence and logistics. (Writing by Mark John; Editing by Richard Balmforth)