Canadian PM calls for NATO troops increase in Afghanistan

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-30-2008 08:29

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is urging NATO to send more troops and better equipment to Afghanistan, otherwise his country will withdraw its troops from the Central Asian country.

Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister.(CCTV.com)

Harper's statement followed an independent panel which met last week.

It advised Canada to keep its 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan beyond the 2009 deadline provided its NATO partners promise to provide substantial reinforcement.

Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister, said, "The government accepts the panel's specific recommendation of extending Canada's mission in Afghanistan if, and I must emphasize if, certain conditions are met. That is, the securing of partners in Kandahar province with additional combat troops and equipment capabilities."

The panel considered a number of options, including an extension of the mission, the withdrawal of troops, and whether Canada's role should be changed from counterinsurgency to training Afghan forces.

A parliamentary vote on the mission's future is expected sometime this spring.

Meanwhile, German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung has confirmed that his country, which is the third biggest troop contributor to Afghanistan, would continue with its current policy.

He made the remarks during a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim Wardak in Kabul.

Franz Josef Jung, German Defense Minister, said, "We do hope that other countries will also contribute. But this will be for a transitional period, and in the future, as we grow, I think the number of international forces will be gradually reduced."

NATO is a key component of the international community's engagement in Afghanistan, leading an international force of over 41 thousand troops.

The organization helps provide security and stability in the Central Asian country.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei