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WORLD

German army 'to suspend' conscription in 2011

23.11.2010 [12:00]
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Baku, November 23 (AZERTAC). The German government wants the volunteer army to focus on missions abroad. Germany is to suspend conscription in July 2011 and switch to a volunteer military service, defense minister of this country said, AZERTAC reported citing BBC as saying.

As stated, conscription of German men will end but will remain in the country`s constitution.

The 250,000-strong German army, the Bundeswehr, is to be cut to around 185,000 soldiers..

Currently all young German men are called to serve, but conscientious objectors can opt for social work.

Volunteers would serve between 12 to 23 months and be able to deploy abroad after six months of service.

Currently, around 7,000 troops are abroad at any one time.

The government hoped that the reforms would allow for at least 10,000 soldiers to be deployed in the future, the defense minister said.

Germany is one of the few NATO countries to retain the draft, which was introduced after World War II to ensure that the military would never again become an elitist force with its own political power.

Parliament is expected to pass the reforms in December.

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