Latvia may review its position and send more troops to war-torn Afghanistan following a request by the U.S., the country's defense minister, Imants Liegis, has said.
Liegis told journalists the U.S. has requested Latvia not to stay aside from NATO's security efforts in Afghanistan and send some 20 more soldiers to the south Central Asian country.
Latvia, which has 170 soldiers in Afghanistan, has repeatedly said that economic difficulties do not allow the Baltic state to contribute more troops to the Afghan security mission.
Latvia has been hard hit by the world economic crisis, with the government considerably slashing the budgets of all state institutions and asking international financial organizations for assistance.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and a separate U.S.-led coalition, involved in Operation Enduring Freedom, have about 89,000 troops in Afghanistan. A total of 44 countries are involved in security efforts in the country hit by militant activities and drug crime.
U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in the first part of 2010 to defeat the Taliban and establish law and order in the country. Other NATO members are also planning to send 7,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
Russia has allowed land transits of non-lethal NATO supplies to Afghanistan and promised more assistance in the bloc's operations in the war-torn country.
RIGA, April 29 (RIA Novosti)
