German minister stresses Iran's role in stabilizing Afghanistan

Berlin, March 31, IRNA -- German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung on
Monday highlighted Iran's role in stabilizing the situation in
war-stricken Afghanistan.

Meeting with the Foreign Press Club (VAP) in Berlin, the minister said
it was appropriate to include Iran in regional efforts in stabilizing
Afghanistan.

"It is my impression that Iran has also such a interest concerning
this matter and therefore it is also based on reciprocity," added Jung
ahead of Iran's attendance at an UN-sponsored international conference
in The Hague on Tuesday on pacifying Afghanistan.

The minister reiterated that greater efforts were needed to stabilize
Afghanistan, including securing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region
which has become an important base for asurge in Taliban attacks in
Afghanistan.

He reaffirmed Pakistan's importance in stabilizing Afghanistan.

Jung said the primary objective of the western military mission in
Afghanistan was to ensure that Afghans could take care of their own
security needs.

He added more focus should be placed on training Afghan soldiers and police.

Jung stressed the need for a coordinated comprehensive approach,
comprised of military security and civilian reconstruction, in
Afghanistan.

"The comprehensive approach is a significant point in being successful
in Afghanistan," he said.

Jung warned there could be 'no long-term success without winning the
hearts and minds of the Afghan people'.

Germany plans to send 600 additional soldiers to Afghanistan of which
200 of them will be used to secure this summer's Afghan presidential
elections in the war-ravaged country.

There are around 3,500 German troops based in northern Afghanistan and
Kabul as part of the 55,000-strong NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF).

The German parliamentary mandate allows the stationing of up to 4,500
troops in Afghanistan.

Berlin has faced intense pressure by the US, Britain and Canada to
dispatch more soldiers to Afghanistan, especially to southern
Afghanistan where ISAF forces are facing a fierce Taliban and al-Qaeda
insurgency.

This week's NATO summit, co-hosted by Germany and France, is expected
to devise a new strategy for Afghanistan.

ISAF is by far NATO's largest mission, and is seen as crucial to the
security and long-term credibility of the western military pact.

The ISAF mission was mandated by the United Nations in December 2001,
in the wake of the overthrow of the Taliban.

The largest troop contingents come from the US with 23,220 followed by
Britain with 8,910 and Germany with 3,500.

American President Barack Obama has announced he would increase the
number of US soldiers in Afghanistan by around 17,000.

However, he has also urged European allies to make a similar commitment.

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