Dutch defense chief sees Afghan mission renewed

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch military operations in Afghanistan could be extended for two more years after August 2008 but with fewer troops, a Dutch daily reported on Saturday.

Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf quoted sources as saying Chief of Staff Dick Berlijn had advised the government that it could keep a maximum of 1,200 soldiers in southern Afghanistan from about 1,600 now.

A spokesman of the Dutch Ministry of defense declined to comment, saying any advice given to the government was private.

The Dutch government, under NATO pressure to keep its troops in the volatile Uruzgan region, is reviewing its mission amid growing public pressure to withdraw as casualties increase.

A Dutch pull-out could see the Canadians follow suit. They are stationed in Kandahar in the south and must also decide whether to extend their mandate which runs until February 2009.

The issue is likely to feature prominently at an informal NATO meeting in the Dutch town of Noordwijk on October 24-25.

The Netherlands should remain the "lead nation" in Uruzgan but help from other countries was necessary in areas such as defending military camps, transport and air support, the Dutch newspaper reported Berlijn's advice as saying.

Berlijn and Dutch defense Minister Eimert van Middelkoop told NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Friday about Berlijn's ideas, the newspaper said.

A reduced mission in Afghanistan would limit the Netherlands' options for other military obligations, such as NATO's rapid reaction force NRF and European Union forces, the paper said, citing Berlijn's advice.