Canada will decide by April whether or not to extend its mission in Afghanistan where 70 of its troops have died battling the Taliban, Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay said late on Monday.
He said the decision would be made by the time of the NATO summit in Romania in April. "It will be necessary to communicate a final decision before that meeting," said MacKay, cited by media.
Two opposition parties to the conservative government -- the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois -- are demanding the mission not be renewed beyond February 2009 when its current mandate is due to expire.
A third, the New Democratic Party, has demanded an immediate withdrawal.
The issue is set to play a key role in a vote of confidence on Oct. 16 which could threaten the position of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's ruling conservative minority.
Harper has said he wants a consensus on the troops' deployment but also does not want to pull them out when he considers there job is not finished.
Canada has 2,500 troops in the south of the country, part of a large multinational presence patrolling the country and helping Afghans fight against the resurgent Taliban, who were toppled form power by the US-led 2001 invasion.
Since 2002, 70 Canadian troops have been killed in Afghanistan.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai last week urged the Canadians to stay beyond the end of the current term to prevent more unrest.
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