BUCHAREST, April 2 (Reuters) - Canada is confident NATO allies will pledge the reinforcements needed for its contingent to remain in Afghanistan despite uncertainty over a pledged French deployment, its prime minister said on Wednesday.

But Stephen Harper acknowledged French President Nicolas Sarkozy had made "no iron-clad" commitment to NATO on how many troops would be forthcoming, and that it was unclear when any troop pledges would be confirmed.

"I am optimistic ... whether it is at this summit or in the weeks to come. We've had good discussions with allies," Harper told a conference ahead of a NATO summit in Bucharest. "We are very confident." (Reporting by Mark John, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

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