The German parliament approved on Friday a government request to keep soldiers deployed for another year in US-led anti-terror missions off the Horn of Africa and in the Mediterranean. In an overwhelming vote, 550 members of parliament voted in favour with 10 against a mandate to keep 290 soldiers on maritime patrols, extending a measure expiring on November 15. The government has the authority to deploy up to 3,100 soldiers.
Germany, which joined the "Enduring Freedom" missions shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, also has 2,100 soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan. That was recently extended until October 2005.
The German government, which firmly opposed last year's invasion of Iraq, has steadfastly refused to send any troops to join the US-led forces there, although they have helped train Iraqi military and police forces at centres outside Iraq.
Despite its opposition to the war in Iraq, Germany has long been eager to improve relations with the United States and hopes with the re-election this month of President George W. Bush that past differences will be put to rest.
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