Parliament backs Libya mission extension

Parliament on Tuesday agreed to a three-month extension of the Dutch contribution to the Nato-led mission in Libya with a large majority.


Governing parties the right-wing liberals VVD and the Christian Democrats and opposition parties Labour, left-wing liberals D66, green party GroenLinks and the two Christian fundamentalist parties ChristenUnie and SGP all voted for the extension, say press reports.
The government’s alliance partner, the anti-Islam PVV, and the socialist SP remain against Dutch involvement in the mission.
The Dutch have six F-16 fighter aircraft, a minesweeper and 200 military personnel taking part in policing the no-fly zone over Libya.
The Christian Democrats want this to be the last extension, with other Nato countries taking over. But foreign minister Uri Rosenthal said this would send the wrong signal. ‘If it comes to that, we will have to weigh the matter again,’ he said.

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