Iraq contrast

Sat 9 Jul 2005 7:28 AM ET

BERLIN, July 9 (Reuters) - Germany wants to increase the number of its soldiers in Afghanistan by around a third, a Defence Ministry spokesman said on Saturday.

The Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, would be asked to approve a government request to extend the soldiers' mandate beyond Oct. 13 and make as many as 3,000 soldiers available, up from the current 2,200, the spokesman said.