Sarkozy promises more troops for Afghanistan

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Source: CCTV.com | 03-27-2008 09:15

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is promising more troops to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan and says he wants a "new Franco-British brotherhood".

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is promising more troops to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan and says he wants a "new Franco-British brotherhood".(CCTV.com)

He says France and Britain need each other to face world challenges.

Addressing members of both houses of the British parliament in London, Sarkozy said France and Britain share the same basic values for humankind.

In a passionate speech, Sarkozy sketched a vision of far-reaching economic and defense cooperation. The French president announced France will send more troops to fight the Taliban if NATO backed its proposals. He said Paris has not yet made public its plans or gone into detail about troop numbers.

Nicolas Sarkozy, French President, said, "If these proposals are accepted, France will propose at the forthcoming NATO summit in Bucharest, reinforcing its military presence. We cannot afford to lose Afghanistan, we cannot afford to see the Taliban and Al-Qaida return to Kabul, defeat is not an option, however difficult the victory may be."

Sarkozy said the destiny and fate of France and Britain have been intermingled for years and the two countries are stronger nations side by side. He said France and Britain have never been so close.

Sarkozy said the International Monetary Fund and World Bank are not strong enough and need to be reformed. He said the G8 should open up to other countries.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei