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THE Canadian Premier has told the French President that Canada will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan unless NATO sends reinforcements.
On Tuesday, Speaking by telephone, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper discussed a new report on Afghanistan with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Heeding its findings from the report, Harper said he will bring Canada's troops home at the end of their current mandate in February 2009 unless NATO allies step up their support for the mission.
Harper has already informed US President George W. Bush,Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown and NATO's secretary general of Canada's position.
Since 2002, 78 Canadian soldiers and a senior diplomat have died in roadside bombings and in fights with the insurgents.
Also on Tuesday, US and German officials had a sharp exchange of words over a controversial letter by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates to his German counterpart demanding troops and helicopters for insurgency-wracked Afghanistan.
NATO defense ministers will meet this week in Vilnius, Lithuania.
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