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AP: Planes are unable to receive permission to fly from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan

18 November 2009 14:02 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Lachin Sultanova â€“ APA. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government will extend Germany’s mission to Afghanistan for another year, but not increase the number of troops, APA reports quoting the Associated Press. Merkel’s Cabinet agreed to extend the country’s participation in the NATO-led mission to Afghanistan for an additional 12 months. The decision requires parliamentary approval, a source close to the government said Wednesday.
More than 4,000 troops are currently serving in Afghanistan under a mandate that limits their number to no more than 4,500. A small number of those are linked to a specific mission involving radar-equipped surveillance aircraft known as AWACS. They serve under a separate mandate that is due to expire on December 13. The source said that mission will not be extended because the planes have been unable to receive permission to fly from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.