NATO chief in Prague to talk Afghanistan

The NATO secretary general failed in his mission to get more Czech soldiers sent to Afghanistan and, in an undiplomatic barrage, indicated party politics is taking precedent over national security.

After Anders Fogh Rasmussen met with Prime Minister Jan Fischer and the leaders of the two largest political parties - Mirek Topolánek (ODS) and Jiří Paroubek (ČSSD) - March 5, he discovered the realities of domestic politics and a looming election have ambushed any chance of increasing troop levels.

The government is in favor of adding troops, but Parliament is resisting pressure from Fischer's Cabinet to ratify the measure.

Fischer recognized that an election approaching in May makes for a Mayday scenario for boosting troop numbers in Afghanistan.

"It is not a secret that the country is three months away from an election and that it is, politically, a very complicated situation," Fischer said after meeting Rasmussen.

Paroubek's ČSSD holds 74 seats in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies and with Communist support can be guaranteed an additional 24 votes against increasing the Afghan mission. Rasmussen's plea to Paroubek to boost troop levels was shot down by the ČSSD leader, who totally rejected reinforcing the Afghan contingent.

In a curt statement after meeting Rasmussen, Paroubek said, "We do not want to increase our participation in Afghanistan," though he did hint that, if the nature of the mission changed to one exclusively focused on training and medical work rather than a military role, he could reconsider.

Topolánek, in contrast, was in favor of increasing troop numbers and said Afghanistan is the major problem facing NATO.

"A solution of the Afghan problem is the key issue" of NATO, he said.

Fischer's Cabinet decided last month to send 55 training and support staff to boost its 400-strong military contingent in Afghanistan.

Even Rasmussen, suggesting fewer than 55 extra troops would be required, failed to persuade Paroubek, and, in an obvious swipe, the NATO leader appealed for Afghanistan to be considered above party politics.

"We have requested an air-training team of 19 people and personnel for two medical clinics of 32, altogether 51 troops," Rasmussen said. "It is essential for our transition strategy in Afghanistan that we get our training mission up and running. ? Today, I have appealed to both leaders to elevate security policy above party politics."

But Paroubek was unmoved.

Paroubek said he recognized the Czech Republic's responsibilities in Afghanistan, but added the party had taken into account what he called a lack of public support for increased deployment.

In a more diplomatic vein, Rasmussen expressed his gratitude for the Czechs' role in Afghanistan.

"[Czechs] have contributed significantly to our mission in Kosovo; you contribute in a valuable way to our operation in Afghanistan; your Provincial Reconstruction Team in Logar serves as a good example of how we can combine civilian reconstruction and security."

The Czech Republic currently has more than 460 soldiers deployed in Afghanistan.

- Petr Cibulka Jr. contributed to this report.

Tom Clifford can be reached at
tclifford@praguepost.com