Sarkozy says French troops to stay in Afghanistan

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany, June 8 (Reuters) French President Nicolas Sarkozy said today France would not pull its troops out of Afghanistan for now, echoing comments by his prime minister that there was no plan to withdraw forces.

Speculation that France may cut down on its engagement in Afghanistan grew shortly after Sarkozy was elected last month, when he said he saw no long-term role for French troops there.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Tuesday there was no plan to disengage from the country, and at an annual meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised nations in Germany, Sarkozy said France would stay by its allies' side.

''I told our Canadian and American friends and our allies that we will not break the allies' solidarity in the battle that is under way against terrorism in Afghanistan and that is under way to stabilise the Afghan state,'' Sarkozy told reporters.

''Secondly, we will reinforce our means to train the Afghan army,'' he told a news conference.

Sarkozy's spokesman David Martinon said the number of French troops would be increased by 150, or three groups of 50 soldiers to train Afghan forces.

''I wanted France's effort to be more of a training effort to prepare the Afghan state for the transition,'' Sarkozy said.

The troop increase will bring the number of French troops in Afghanistan to 1,150.

Reuters SBC DB2316