WASHINGTON, April 26 (Hina) - NATO will significantly reduce the number of its soldiers in the Balkans, German Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping said in Washington. Following talks with his US counterpart Donald Rumsfeld on Thursday
and Congress officials on Friday, Scharping told reporters the number of Stabilisation Force (SFOR) soldiers in Bosnia would be reduced by 20-30 percent by the end of the year, as would the number of soldiers in Kosovo. Asked whether there was a danger of the US withdrawing unilaterally from those peace missions, Scharping said the principle of simultaneous participation in peace operations was still valid. Scharping expects an increase in the NATO forces in Afghanistan and a long mission which he said would help stabilise the country and its authorities.(hina) rml sb
WASHINGTON, April 26 (Hina) - NATO will significantly reduce the
number of its soldiers in the Balkans, German Defence Minister
Rudolf Scharping said in Washington.
Following talks with his US counterpart Donald Rumsfeld on Thursday
and Congress officials on Friday, Scharping told reporters the
number of Stabilisation Force (SFOR) soldiers in Bosnia would be
reduced by 20-30 percent by the end of the year, as would the number
of soldiers in Kosovo.
Asked whether there was a danger of the US withdrawing unilaterally
from those peace missions, Scharping said the principle of
simultaneous participation in peace operations was still valid.
Scharping expects an increase in the NATO forces in Afghanistan and
a long mission which he said would help stabilise the country and
its authorities.
(hina) rml sb