The Czech government Wednesday approved a plan to boost its contingent in Afghanistan by about 200 soldiers next year while gradually withdrawing forces from Kosovo, Prime Minister Petr Necas said.

“We will reduce military presence in Kosovo and slightly boost the mission in Afghanistan,” Necas told reporters.

The Czech army, allowed to station up to 535 soldiers in Afghanistan this year, will be able to deploy 720 in the country in 2011 and 640 in 2012 under the plan which must be approved by parliament to take effect.

“We are planning a certain increase [this year] so that we could reduce our presence the sooner in the future,” said Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra.

Most Czech soldiers in Afghanistan work in a provincial reconstruction team in the eastern Logar province.

Vondra added the army would reduce its presence in Kosovo from about 270 to 90 soldiers by the end of this year, and cut the number to about 60 next summer.

“In Kosovo, we are entering a phase of a gradual reduction,” Vondra said.

But he added the deployment limit for the breakaway province of Serbia remained at 550 for 2011 as a Czech-based battalion will be ready to return to Kosovo in case of trouble.

October 06, 2010
AFP

• A Permanent Economic Emergency