BUCHAREST, Apr 03, BNS - Estonia does not plan to raise the ceiling on the number of troops deployed to Afghanistan, the defense minister reaffirmed.
Minister Jaak Aaviksoo told BNS that Estonia is going to send additionally a mortar unit to Afghanistan, but he does not regard the deployment as a qualitative change.
"The size of the mandate will remain unchanged," he confirmed, adding that in relative terms Estonia is one of the largest contributors to the Afghanistan mission.
The parliament has mandated the deployment of up to 150 defense forces personnel to Afghanistan.
Aaviksoo said also closing of the alliance's capability gaps was under discussion at the Bucharest summit and calls were made to find joint solutions like the joint procurement of strategic transport planes in which also Estonia participates.
Summit participants hailed on Wednesday night the initiative to set up a joint fund to buy helicopters, the minister said. According to Aaviksoo, Estonia may join the initiative in some way, but he added that the plan must become more concrete first.
NATO members were also urged to raise defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product. "Let's hope we'll manage to observe this target," Aaviksoo said.
Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8814, sise@bns.ee
