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NATO Secretary General Confident Of Successful Afghan Elections

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  • NATO Secretary General Confident Of Successful Afghan Elections

    NATO Secretary General Confident Of Successful Afghan Elections

    AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
    06-30-2005

    BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
    insisted June 30 that the deployment of 2,000 extra troops should
    help ensure Afghanistan's forthcoming elections are successful.

    Speaking during an official visit to Slovakia, De Hoop Scheffer
    said 2,000 extra NATO soldiers, mainly from Romania, Spain and the
    Netherlands, would be sent to the country before the mid-September
    vote, taking the total number to 10,400.

    He hoped and was confident that with the extra forces NATO would
    deploy the elections would be successful, he said.

    De Hoop Scheffer also outlined the changes awaiting the alliance,
    emphasizing that the aim was to strengthen NATO's political function
    which was relevant to its military reforms.

    At the same time, he said, NATO would not get involved in the dispute
    over Iran's nuclear program.

    Even if NATO appreciated the importance of this issue, because it
    related to the expansion of mass destruction weapons, the alliance
    not seek a role in this discussion, he said.

    The Secretary General highlighted the strong role Slovakia had played
    since joining the alliance one year ago and said it was important
    that Slovakia had participated in almost every NATO mission.

    Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda said that the
    country's experience could be useful for current NATO candidate
    countries. Ukraine and Armenia are among those countries hoping to
    join NATO.
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