Expatriates leave Kinshasa

PARIS (Reuter) - France safely evacuated 220 expatriates from the riot- torn Zairean capital, Kinshasa, yesterday, ferrying them under military escort across the Congo river to Brazzaville, the Foreign Ministry said. A boat picked up the evacuees, who included 120 French citizens, in two batches. Several dozen French paratroopers, on standby in the Congolese capital since Friday, travelled across the river to help them.

Meanwhile, Belgium has signalled it is ready to use military force to evacuate its citizens from Kinshasa, despite Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko's refusal to admit Belgian troops. The Defence Minister, Leo Delcroix, said paratroops would go in to help Belgians wanting to leave.