Germany seeks Iran’s help for restoring peace in Afghanistan
May 28th, 2009 - 5:23 am ICT by IANS
Berlin, May 28 (IANS) German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said Iran has an important role to play in Afghanistan as the global community look for ways to stabilise the worsening security situation in that country.
Jung said Iran could have an “important influence” in fighting cross-border drug trafficking, which is a major source of revenue fuelling the Afghan insurgency.
“To include (Afghanistan’s) neighbours is principally important, since Pakistan is a retreat area for Taliban,” IRNA said Wednesday citing the minister.
He said drug trafficking in northern Afghanistan and in the Afghan-Iranian border regions have become a “major problem”. “That’s why we are having talks on enabling better controls (in those regions).”
There are around 3,500 German troops in Afghanistan as part of the 55,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The German parliamentary mandate allows the deployment of up to 4,500 troops in Afghanistan.
The US, Britain and Canada have recently urged Germany to send more troops to Afghanistan to help the NATO-led forces fighting the Al Qaeda and Taliban insurgency in southern part of the country.
- Afghanistan to probe NATO airstrike on Pakistan - Nov 28, 2011
- Seven militants killed in Afghanstan - Mar 18, 2012
- 25 killed as insurgent attack foiled in Afghanistan - Oct 08, 2011
- Taliban stronghold in Afghan province cleared - Jan 27, 2011
- Afghanistan: Suicide bomber kills NATO troops, children near market - May 21, 2012
- Four NATO soldiers die in southern Afghanistan - May 12, 2012
- Haqqani network leader held in Afghanistan - Nov 30, 2011
- Man in Afghan army uniform kills NATO soldier - Feb 01, 2012
- 16 foreign troops killed in single day in Afghanistan - Oct 29, 2011
- NATO soldier dies in Afghanistan - Apr 29, 2012
- NATO soldier killed in Afghan attack - Jan 22, 2012
- 14 killed in Afghan clashes - Aug 22, 2010
- Osama's death will encourage war: Afghan Taliban - May 07, 2011
- NATO captures 'Iranian arms smuggler' in Afghanistan - Dec 24, 2010
- Senior Haqqani leader captured in Afghanistan: NATO - Oct 01, 2011
Tags: al qaeda, border regions, cross border, defence minister, deployment, drug trafficking, franz josef jung, german defence minister franz josef jung, german troops in afghanistan, global community, insurgency, international security assistance, iranian border, irna, mandate, neighbours, northern afghanistan, security situation, taliban, troops in afghanistan