"We are very positive to the request from the Atlantic Alliance, but we can not say at this time how many additional soldiers will be sent within the ISAF framework," Danish Defense Minister Soeren Gade told AFP in a telephone interview as he traveled to Sudan for a two-day visit with Danish troops there.

His comments follow a provisional agreement reached at NATO's Brussels headquarters last week to send an additional 6,000 troops to join the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)'s current 11,000 soldiers from 37 countries stationed in Afghanistan.

The aim of the enlarged force would be to extend its reach into the more volatile southern regions of the country.

Gade on Monday emphasized that any decision to increase the Danish troop presence in Afghanistan would first require a green light from parliament.

"Everything will depend on the outcome of ongoing negotiations with the (other) political parties," he said, adding that any additional "Danish troops will be placed under British command, in accordance with government wishes".

The British ISAF troops are currently stationed in the southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.

Denmark today has 173 soldiers stationed in the country, 60 of whom are part of an airborne division charged with accompanying Hercules cargo planes carrying reconstruction materials into treacherous mountain areas that are difficult to access.

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