Afghan mission faces major problems, says Canada

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 21 (Reuters) The international effort against Taliban militants in Afghanistan faces major long-term problems and cannot succeed by military means alone, an unusually downbeat Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said today.

Canada has 2,300 soldiers in the southern city of Kandahar, scene of a series of major clashes with the Taliban. In the last three months alone 20 Canadians have died, prompting ever louder calls for the troops to be brought back home.

''Let us be realistic. The challenges facing Afghanistan are enormous. There will be no quick fixes. Moreover, success cannot be assured by military means alone,'' Harper told the United Nations General Assembly.

Harper -- in some of his gloomiest comments on Afghanistan since his Conservatives won the January 23 election -- said the international community could not afford to fail.

''We have responded. But we haven't made Afghanistan's progress irreversible -- not yet ... we are therefore acutely aware that the United Nations' job in Afghanistan is not done,'' he said.

''Difficulties don't daunt us. But lack of common purpose and will in this body would ... if we fail the Afghan people, we will be failing ourselves.'' Harper is under fire from critics who say he has not done nearly enough to explain why Canada is fighting in Afghanistan rather than focusing on the reconstruction effort. Four Canadian soldiers died in a bomb blast on Monday.

There are around 41,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan but Ottawa -- complaining it is carrying too much of the burden -- wants other NATO nations to contribute more.

Last week Canada said it was sending 200 more troops and a squadron of Leopard tanks to reinforce its mission.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is due to address Canada's Parliament tomorrow.

Harper was more upbeat when he spoke to the Economic Club of New York yesterday night, playing down recent opinion polls that show most Canadians want the troops to come back.

''I don't really accept that Canadians are opposed to the mission. I think what Canadians regret, what hurts Canadians a lot, is seeing their brave men and women in uniform lose their lives,'' he said.

''Whatever the opinion polls are on questions like this, Canada is in there for absolutely the right reasons ... we will not, and nor would any responsible Canadian prime minister, ever leave this mission until we are successful.'' REUTERS PB RAI2318