The people of Afghanistan will need international support for many years to come, said defence minister Eimert van Middlekoop during the presentation of medals to 200 soldiers who have taken part in recent international peace-keeping missions.

Military and civil organisations will have to help Afghanistan to stand on its own two feet so that it can gradually handle its own security and government, said the minister.
Holland too will remain involved with Afghanistan for many years, certainly in terms of civil and development projects, said Van Middelkoop.
Among those receiving medals on Friday was major general Mart de Kruif who was responsible for 40,000 troops from 16 countries in southern Afghanistan until handing over command to the British general Nick Carter on November 1.
Meanwhile the heated public discussion about whether Dutch troops will stay on in the southern Afghanistan province of Uruzgan after their current mandate expires in August next year continues.
‘Sick to death’
In the opening article on the front page of Friday’s Volkskrant, Van Middelkoop is quoted as saying that he is ‘sick to death’ of the comments made by his colleagues in the media over the issue.
US pressure on the Netherlands to extend its mission in Uruzgan has split the government and led to increasing irritation between the coalition parties.
The Christian Democrats are positive about the possibility of extending the military mission while Labour is firmly against it under any circumstances says the paper. The smallest coalition partner, Van Middlekoop’s ChristenUnie party, is hesitant.
The minister is furious that ministers have broken their agreement not to comment on the issue in public. He is to bring the matter up during Friday’s cabinet meeting.
Van Middelkoop said the cabinet would make a statement when it was ready to do so and that a carefully-made decision was more important than a hasty one, reported the Volkskrant.