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Afghanistan

E.U. envoy presses Netherlands to send troops to south Afghanistan

Brussels_(dpa) _ The European Union's top official in Afghanistan on Thursday urged the Netherlands to go ahead with plans to deploy troops in the volatile southern Afghan region, saying a Dutch "no" would damage the bloc's credibility in the country.


Speaking to reporters in Brussels, E.U. envoy to Afghanistan Francesc Vendrell said European governments must be more forceful in explaining their mission in the troubled country.

"We need more political leadership," he said.

A failure by the Netherlands to keep its commitment to NATO would be a "heavy blow for Europe's prestige in Afghanistan" and a "blow to Europe's credibility", Vendrell warned.

The Dutch government has delayed a decision on deploying some 1,100 troops into Uruzgan province - one of Afghanistan's most dangerous regions - until receiving backing from parliament. The assembly is expected to discuss the deployment next week.

The E.U. envoy said he did not expect any other European country to replace the Dutch forces in the case of a "no" vote, citing the reluctance of member governments to send troops to Afghanistan's more dangerous regions.

The Afghan authorities already viewed the European presence as a "little too passive", Vendrell cautioned, adding, "This perception would be strengthened if NATO finds it impossible to send troops to Afghanistan."

In separate comments, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said the Alliance had no "plan B" if the Dutch government decided against dispatching troops forces to Uruzgan.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer "hoped and expected" the Dutch would come out in favour of the deployment, said Appathurai, adding NATO was hoping for the Dutch thumbs-up before a meeting on Afghanistan's future, scheduled to be held in London at the end of January.

A delay in a decision by the Netherlands could mean that NATO plans to expand into southern Afghanistan would slip as well, he said.

"The timing of the Dutch decision would be relevant to the timing of deployment...therefore a rapid decision would be useful," Appathurai said.

NATO currently has about 9,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and has plans to deploy another 6,000 soldiers in the south of the country by July.

Britain, Canada and Australia have agreed to send forces to the south, but Alliance officials point out that NATO troops need Dutch attack helicopters to operate successfully in the region.

The Dutch parliament is reportedly concerned about security in southern Afghanistan, especially in view of the killing of more than 30 people, including a German soldier, in suicide attacks in the last three months.

NATO officials say they have provided the Dutch authorities with the required security guarantees. dpa si cb

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