The Dutch Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, says his coalition government has collapsed after members failed to agree on a NATO request to extend the Netherlands' military mission in Afghanistan.

"Later today, I will offer to her majesty the Queen the resignations of the ministers and deputy ministers of the PvdA [Labour Party]," he told journalists in the early hours of Saturday (local time).

Mr Balkenende made the announcement after the cabinet held more than 16 hours of talks in The Hague to try to settle the dispute.

The PvdA is one of three parties in the coalition government, with Balkenende's Christian Democratic Appeal the senior partner.

Vice-premier Wouter Bos invoked the ire of his cabinet colleagues by stating this week that his PvdA would not support extending the Dutch deployment in Afghanistan beyond 2010.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/20/2825563.htm?section=justin