International

If the voters were to vote again on the European Constitution, the number voting no would be even greater than was the case on 1st June 2005. A survey conducted for the SP by leading pollsters Maurice de Hond showed that fully 64% of the voters would now opt for a no, while a majority of 51% state that the no should remain a no whatever the outcome of the elections scheduled for 22nd November. This opinion is in contrast to the declaration by Christian Democrat Foreign Minister Ben Bot that he will work on a new European treaty in the coming year. Mr Bot is, it's true, anxious to avoid calling this new treaty a 'constitution', but wants to see much of what the rejected constitution contained restored.

SP defence spokeswoman Krista van Velzen has asked the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs for en explanation of reports that NATO has employed cluster bombs in the South Afghanistan province of Kandahar. The reports suggest that a woman civilian died as a result. Last month Secretary of State for Defence Cees van der Knaap gave his assurance that Dutch troops in Afghanistan had no stocks of such weapons. Dutch grounds troops are deployed in the province of Uruzgan, but the air force may be engaged in any area of the country.