The announcement came after intense meetings within the government and with foreign policy MPs from the majority left-center alliance.
"It is not going to happen now, but the possibility of sending extra forces later is still open," a source told Aftenposten.no.
Instead of sending military personnel the government will offer education and training of the Afghan military and police forces, and contribute with other types of civil assistance.
The government bases its current decision on the belief that there is more to be gained from strengthening the civil sector than the military.
One of the conditions for Norway's withdrawal of forces from Enduring Freedom in Iraq was added assistance to ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) in Afghanistan.
"We will increase our contribution, but not with military personnel at first," the source told Aftenposten.no.
NATO spokesman James Apparthurai told Norwegian news agency NTB that the alliance would continue to press Norway to contribute more to the effort in Afghanistan, even though Norway must be able to decide how its forces would be deployed.
Appathurai also said that Norway has contributed, and still does contribute to the ISAF operation in Afghanistan in a major way.
