Deputy prime minister Wouter Bos wants the cabinet to decide this week whether or not to extend the Dutch mission in Afghanistan, the Telegraaf reports on Wednesday, without quoting sources.

Labour party leader Bos is strongly opposed to any longer stay for the 1,800 Dutch soldiers and support staff in the region. Nato has asked the Netherlands to stay on with a smaller force, primarily to train Afghan troops, a suggestion backed by Christian Democrats
The paper says CDA officials are now sounding out opposition parties about their thoughts on extending the Dutch mission. The two Liberal parties VVD and D66 have let it be known they are not opposed. But the left-wing greens GroenLinks also support an August pull-out, meaning there is no parliamentary majority in favour of staying.

Meetings
Meanwhile, foreign minister Maxime Verhagen told MPs on Tuesday that ministers, including Bos, have met 16 times over the past few weeks to discuss the issue.
Last week’s ‘misunderstanding‘ on the issue between Bos and Verhagen was only a misunderstanding on Bos’s part, the foreign minister said.
Verhagen said the formal Nato invitation to stay had been made at the explicit request of ministers and was considered a precondition for further talks. Bos told reporters last week the Nato letter had not been asked for in his name.
MPs are due to hold an emergency debate on Afghanistan later this week.