LOC20:28
17:28 GMT
BERLIN, Feb 1 (KUNA) -- The German government has turned down Friday the
request of U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) members to deploy more troops to Afghanistan.
Gates asked Germany to contribute 300 troops to the 3,200-stong additional
contingent in order to back the NATO-led International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
The German government will not amend the bill passed by the Bundestag (the
lower house of parliament) on participation in the NATO operations, government
spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told reporters here.
For his part, German Minister of Defense Franz Josef Jung pledged to
continue talks under the ISAF mandate but without sending any additional
troops to the Central Asian country.
Germany has 3,600-strong contingent stationed at the relatively calm
northern provinces of Afghanistan. (end)
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KUNA 012028 Feb 08NNNN