WASHINGTON (Agencies) - Diplomacy will play a bigger role in US efforts in Afghanistan in future even as the Pentagon announced a significant troop increase, President Barack Obama said Tuesday in an interview on Canadian television. "I am absolutely convinced that you cannot solve the problem of Afghanistan, the Taliban, the spread of extremism in that region solely through military means," Obama told journalist Peter Mansbridge as part of a wide-ranging interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. "We're going to have to use diplomacy. We're going to have to use development." Canada has about 2,800 troops in Afghanistan, but parliament has voted to pull them out by 2011. Obama suggested he will take up the issue with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper when the two meet Thursday (today) in Ottawa. "My hope is that in conversations that I have with Prime Minister Harper, that he and I end up seeing the importance of a comprehensive strategy, and one that ultimately the people of Canada can support, as well as the people of the US can support," Obama said. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Wednesday applauded the deployment of 17,000 extra US troops to Afghanistan, but said his country had no plans to follow suit. Britain's commitment to Afghanistan remained strong, despite the cost in cash and soldiers' lives, the visiting Miliband told a news conference held with his Afghan counterpart, Rangeen Dadfar Spanta. He also extended a "warm welcome" for Obama's strategy review in the struggle against Taliban, more than seven years after the 2001 US-led invasion removed the movement regime in Afghanistan. Britain was committed to its part in the "war on terror", Miliband said. Afghan Minister Spanta praised Britain's support for Kabul, saying it had pledged $15m for presidential and provincial council elections due in August. Afghan officials also welcomed Barack Obama's decision to send 17,000 more soldiers but ordinary people feared more troops would mean more attacks. "It's a positive move," Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Muhammad Is'haq Payman told AFP. "We want them (US troops) to be deployed along the border, in eastern, southeastern and southern parts of the country." Prominent lawmaker Shukria Barakzai also said the reinforcements should be sent to the border with Pakistan to stop infiltrations. "Military force alone is not enough," Barakzai said. "If these troops come without coordinating their efforts with development and diplomacy, the situation would not change." On the streets of Kabul, residents were wary of the planned new US arrivals, fearing that they would only worsen security. "The explosions in Kabul are because of the Nato presence here," said university student Khalid Sherzai. "More troops will mean more roads will be closed. They should leave it (security) for the Afghans and see what happens." "Security will deteriorate even further," said another resident, Najibullah Hotak. Meanwhile, US Senator John McCain has welcomed President Obama's decision to send more troops to fight in Afghanistan, but warned that winning the war required a complete strategic overhaul. The Republican lawmaker from Arizona said in a statement conditions in Afghanistan had "deteriorated for several years" and was now "dire," especially in the southern part of the country, and that more US troops "can make a significant difference." "More troops alone, however, will not lead to success there," said McCain, who called on Obama to "spell out for the American people what he believes victory in Afghanistan will look like and articulate a coherent strategy for achieving it." Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid welcomed Obama's announcement, highlighting the need to "address threats to American national security from Al-Qaeda and related groups based along the Afghan-Pakistan border."