The Dutch troops should be removed from Afghanistan until the final of the year, according to declaration of the just-renounced prime-minister of the country, Jan Peter Balkenende: “If nothing else will take its place, then it ends”, he stated yesterday.

The collapse of the Executive of Balkenende occurred after a long quarrel between the parties that formed the Government coalition about the permanence of the Dutch troops in the Afghanistan for one more year.

The members of labor party did not want to draw out the mission, but the CDA and the Christian Union agreed with NATO’s demand to increase the participation of Holland in the mission. Currently, there are about 2000 Dutch soldiers in the Afghan province of Uruzgan, who already must have left the country in August. The Netherlands are between the ten main contingents of the 42 countries that remained in Afghanistan. U.S.A., the United Kingdom and Germany occupy the three first places, correspondingly. France still has about 3000 men in the ground, but already affirmed that it will not send more troops.

Within the round of conversations with the leaders of all political forces, the queen of Holland received Balkenende today. If the Queen Beatrix accepts the resignation of the Executive, the coalition parties will continue as temporary Government until the general elections that should happen at the beginning of the next year. 

Meanwhile, a NATO spokesman declared that the support to the Afghans will continue even if Holland confirms its departure. Anders Fogh Rasmussen had said in his first speech as secretary-general of the alliance that its priority was the war in the Afghanistan.