Swedish parties agree on Afghan troop mission extension

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Stockholm - Sweden's minority center-right government and two opposition parties Monday announced they had agreed on terms for prolonging the Swedish troop deployment in Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's government is two seats shy of a majority in parliament and needs backing from the opposition to extend the mission for Sweden's 500-strong force in Afghanistan.

With the agreement in place, the government can this week present its bill on the force's mandate.

Reinfeldt recently opened talks with Mona Sahlin, leader of the opposition Social Democrats.

The premier, Sahlin and Peter Eriksson of the opposition Greens were to present details of the deal later Monday.

Five Swedish nationals have been killed in the Afghan conflict.

The agreement Monday did not include the Left Party that said they stood by their demand that Sweden should begin to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in 2011.

The Swedish parliament in 2009 voted to set a maximum of 885 Swedish troops for deployment in Afghanistan. That decision was backed by the Social Democrats and the Greens.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351322,afghan-troop-mission-extension.html.