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NATO chief pleads with Czechs to boost Afghan mission

Other News Materials 5 March 2010 15:52 (UTC +04:00)
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was in Prague on Friday to urge Czech politicians to send more troops to the alliance's training mission in Afghanistan, seen as key to ending NATO's presence in the war-torn country
NATO chief pleads with Czechs to boost Afghan mission

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was in Prague on Friday to urge Czech politicians to send more troops to the alliance's training mission in Afghanistan, seen as key to ending NATO's presence in the war-torn country, DPA reported.

Rasmussen said he would take his message to leaders of the country's political parties to make his case.

"It is essential for our transition strategy in Afghanistan that we get our training mission up and running," Rasmussen told reporters after meeting Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer.

"To finish our job means to make the Afghans capable to take the responsibility themselves," he said.

The Czech government agreed to deploy an extra 55 soldiers in Afghanistan this year, but the proposal must be approved by parliament, where it faces resistance from leftist parties.

Rasmussen is expected to meet leaders of the largest Czech political parties later Friday, holding talks in the Czech capital as the country approaches a general election on May 28-29.

The NATO chief's plea comes after a setback in the Netherlands over efforts in Afghanistan. Two weeks ago, the Dutch government collapsed over NATO's request to prolong that country's military presence in Afghanistan.

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