Taliban testing Western public opinion, NATO says

OTTAWA, June 15 (Reuters) Taliban insurgents are testing Western public opinion by creating instability in Afghanistan but they will be dealt with robustly and efficiently, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer today said.

De Hoop Scheffer made his remarks after meeting Prime Minister Stephen Harper ahead of the hand-over of control of security operations in southern Afghanistan next month to a NATO force from a US-led force. Canadian soldiers are participating in the NATO force.

''The Taliban are simply testing Canadian public opinion, Dutch public opinion, U.K. public opinion, Australian public opinion,'' de Hoop Scheffer said, speaking on a day when a mini-bus carrying Afghan laborers to a US military base in southern Afghanistan was hit by a powerful bomb, killing about 10 people.

''I can tell you, they'll not achieve their goals, because on the basis of the operational plan on which Canadian and other forces are going in, on the basis of the robust rules of engagement, they'll feel the consequences if they try to spoil the process.'' ''The message to the spoilers, be it Taliban, be it drug lords, be it warlords, whatever, will be a very stern and strong message: You will not get it your way. You will be dealt with very robustly if necessary.'' The Taliban, fighting to expel foreign forces and defeat Afghanistan's Western-backed government, were ousted from power in late 2001 after refusing to hand over Osama bin Laden.

REUTERS SY BD2317