Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Germany turns down US request for more Afghan troops
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 01 - 02 - 2008


Germany on Friday rejected a request from the
United States to send combat troops to southern Afghanistan, where
most of the fighting with the Taliban and al-Qaeda is taking place, according to dpa.
Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said Germany would continue with
its current mandate providing for the deployment of up to 3,500
troops, mostly in the relatively peaceful north of the country.
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and government spokesman
Ulrich Wilhelm also ruled out a change in the German commitment,
which was approved by parliament in October 2007.
The officials were responding to a letter by US Secretary of
Defence Robert Gates requesting German participation in a 3,200-man
force to beef up the NATO presence in Afghanistan.
The force is designed to replace 3,200 US Marines whose deployment
was announced by Gates earlier this week for a period of seven
months.
Gates' letter asked Germany to consider a new mandate which could
allow thousands more troops to be sent to Afghanistan, with some
deployed to the more dangerous south.
It also requests Germany provide helicopter support and
paratroopers for the nearly 37,000-strong NATO-led International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Germany currently has 3,200 troops in Afghanistan as well as six
Tornado surveillance jets. Under the mandate German troops can only
provide "emergency assistance" in the disputed south of the country.
"The letter was not just sent to Germany but to all NATO allies as
part of continued US efforts to increase troop numbers in
Afghanistan," said a spokesman at the US NATO mission Brussels.
"The letter asked all allies to dig deep and do as much as as they
can to meet commanders' requests for more troops," he said.
The spokesman said the US would repeat its call at an informal
meeting of NATO defence ministers taking place in the Lithuanian
capital of Vilnius from February 7-8.
Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily said Gates warned of a split
in the alliance if more troops were not sent to Afghanistan. The
newspaper described the tone of the letter as "stern".
Wilhelm said the letter, which was sent at the end of January,
"came as a surprise."
The Pentagon said earlier this week that it would urge NATO allies
to send more troops to southern Afghanistan.
The reluctance of European NATO allies to contribute extra
soldiers or limit their role to peacekeeping missions has frustrated
the United States, and most recently Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Monday that he
was extending the mission of his country's 2,500 troops in the
country but criticized other NATO countries for refusing to send more
soldiers.
Harper said the extension was contingent on European allies
sending more troops to meet requests for an additional 7,000 troops
in the heavy fighting area of southern Afghanistan.
There are already about 26,000 US soldiers in Afghanistan, about
half of them under NATO's command.
The German government has been considering a NATO request for
combat troops for a Quick Reaction Force in northern Afghanistan to
replace a 350-strong Norwegian force that leaves in July.
Government sources said Germany would probably agree to the
request.


Clic here to read the story from its source.