Häkämies: Additional forces to Afghanistan only for election

US wants longer commitment

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Finland is not agreeing to a US request that additional European forces being sent to Afghanistan to help monitor elections to be held in that country should stay for a longer time. Ivo Daadler, the United States Ambassador to NATO, put forward a request for a longer commitment in a speech on Monday.
      “There has been no official request, but we were among the first to announce our additional forces, and the forces have been recruited for the time that has been agreed upon”, said Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies (Nat. Coalition Party) on Thursday. He sys that changing the decision would not be possible.
     
Häkämies is not taking part in the two-day meeting of NATO ministers of defence in Brussels, even though Finland is a participant in the parts of the meeting open to members of NATO’s Partnership for Peace, and the countries that are taking part in the NATO-led peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan.
     Finland is sending about 100 soldiers to Afghanistan to hep secure the presidential and regional elections scheduled for August 20th. The forces are to be in the country for about four months.
     Daadler issued his appeal as the United States was announcing the deployment of 21,000 additional soldiers to Afghanistan. European countries have promised to send a total of 5,000 more soldiers for the election campaign. In addition to soldiers, the US wants Europe to provide more money to help Afghanistan’s own security forces.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland to send more troops to Afghanistan next summer (12.12.2008)
  Parliament approves additional forces to Afghanistan (9.3.2009)
  President Halonen: NATO wants more Finns in Afghanistan (4.4.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat