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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Bush calls for more Afghan troops | Bush calls for more Afghan troops |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush has urged Nato allies to send more troops to Afghanistan ahead of the alliance's biggest-ever summit in Romania. | US President George W Bush has urged Nato allies to send more troops to Afghanistan ahead of the alliance's biggest-ever summit in Romania. |
| In a pre-summit speech in Bucharest, Mr Bush said "we cannot afford to lose Afghanistan... we must win". | In a pre-summit speech in Bucharest, Mr Bush said "we cannot afford to lose Afghanistan... we must win". |
| Romania and France are due to send more troops and Mr Bush asked other nations "to step forward". | Romania and France are due to send more troops and Mr Bush asked other nations "to step forward". |
| He also renewed calls for Nato membership to be open to any European democracy that sought it. | He also renewed calls for Nato membership to be open to any European democracy that sought it. |
| The Nato-led force in Afghanistan currently numbers 47,000 troops from 40 nations. Commanders have called for a further 10,000 soldiers to be deployed. | The Nato-led force in Afghanistan currently numbers 47,000 troops from 40 nations. Commanders have called for a further 10,000 soldiers to be deployed. |
| Nato allies want the Bucharest summit, starting later on Wednesday, to send the message that it will stay in Afghanistan for as long as necessary. | Nato allies want the Bucharest summit, starting later on Wednesday, to send the message that it will stay in Afghanistan for as long as necessary. |
| 'Circle of freedom' | 'Circle of freedom' |
| In a keynote speech hours before the two-day summit of the 26-nation alliance, Mr Bush said: "As [French] President Sarkozy put it in London last week, we cannot afford to lose Afghanistan. | In a keynote speech hours before the two-day summit of the 26-nation alliance, Mr Bush said: "As [French] President Sarkozy put it in London last week, we cannot afford to lose Afghanistan. |
| If we do not defeat the terrorists in Afghanistan, we will face them on our soil President Bush Ashdown's Afghanistan warning | |
| "Whatever the cost, however difficult, we cannot afford it, we must win. | "Whatever the cost, however difficult, we cannot afford it, we must win. |
| "If we do not defeat the terrorists in Afghanistan, we will face them on our soil." | "If we do not defeat the terrorists in Afghanistan, we will face them on our soil." |
| His attempts to rally new troops came as Lord Ashdown, former UN envoy to Afghanistan, warned the Nato-led alliance was "getting pretty close" to losing control of the country. | |
| Mr Bush arrived in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, late on Tuesday. He has since left to meet Romania's President Traian Basescu in the Black Sea resort of Constanta. | Mr Bush arrived in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, late on Tuesday. He has since left to meet Romania's President Traian Basescu in the Black Sea resort of Constanta. |
| On the eve of his last Nato summit, Bush set out his agenda in a wide-ranging, half-hour speech. | On the eve of his last Nato summit, Bush set out his agenda in a wide-ranging, half-hour speech. |
| In addition to asking for more troops, he also pushed for Nato's eastern expansion and appealed to Russia to drop opposition to US plans to establish missile defence installations in Nato members Poland and the Czech Republic. | In addition to asking for more troops, he also pushed for Nato's eastern expansion and appealed to Russia to drop opposition to US plans to establish missile defence installations in Nato members Poland and the Czech Republic. |
| President Bush said the "circle of freedom", as he put it, must be extended to include new Nato members from the Balkans. | President Bush said the "circle of freedom", as he put it, must be extended to include new Nato members from the Balkans. |
| He said invitations would be issued to Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to join Nato. | He said invitations would be issued to Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to join Nato. |
| 'Not our enemy' | 'Not our enemy' |
| He also pressed the alliance to support Membership Action Plans for both Ukraine and Georgia - a move opposed by France and Germany. | He also pressed the alliance to support Membership Action Plans for both Ukraine and Georgia - a move opposed by France and Germany. |
| "We must make clear that Nato welcomes the aspirations of Georgia and Ukraine for membership and offers them a clear path forward toward that goal," he said. | "We must make clear that Nato welcomes the aspirations of Georgia and Ukraine for membership and offers them a clear path forward toward that goal," he said. |
| The Cold War is over. Russia is not our enemy President Bush class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7325890.stm">Nato door creaks open | |
| "Nato membership must remain open to all of Europe's democracies that seek it, and are ready to share in the responsibilities of Nato membership." | "Nato membership must remain open to all of Europe's democracies that seek it, and are ready to share in the responsibilities of Nato membership." |
| He also appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept the US missile shield installations. | He also appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept the US missile shield installations. |
| The US says they are needed to counter a potential threat from Iran, though Moscow fears they could be used against Russia. | The US says they are needed to counter a potential threat from Iran, though Moscow fears they could be used against Russia. |
| "The Cold War is over," said Mr Bush. "Russia is not our enemy." | "The Cold War is over," said Mr Bush. "Russia is not our enemy." |
| UKRAINIANS IN NATO MISSIONS Kosovo: 184 soldiersAfghanistan: 3 soldiersNato training mission in IraqMediterranean patrols in 2007 | |
| After the summit, Mr Bush will fly to Russia for final talks with Mr Putin, who steps down in May. | After the summit, Mr Bush will fly to Russia for final talks with Mr Putin, who steps down in May. |
| Russia is fiercely opposed to the eastward expansion of Nato, and has warned of a crisis if Ukraine tries to join. | Russia is fiercely opposed to the eastward expansion of Nato, and has warned of a crisis if Ukraine tries to join. |
| Grigory Karasin, Russia's deputy foreign minister, said Ukrainian membership of the Western alliance would "entail a deep crisis in Russian-Ukrainian relations". | Grigory Karasin, Russia's deputy foreign minister, said Ukrainian membership of the Western alliance would "entail a deep crisis in Russian-Ukrainian relations". |
| France and Germany, backed by several smaller west European allies, oppose Ukrainian membership. | France and Germany, backed by several smaller west European allies, oppose Ukrainian membership. |
| And opinion polls in Ukraine suggest there is little public support there for its admission to the alliance. | And opinion polls in Ukraine suggest there is little public support there for its admission to the alliance. |
| Open door | Open door |
| Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told the BBC he supported Nato membership for the former Soviet states. | Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told the BBC he supported Nato membership for the former Soviet states. |
| "There's no way that the door will be locked for Ukraine and Georgia," he said. | "There's no way that the door will be locked for Ukraine and Georgia," he said. |
| "The Nato Treaty very clearly states that European democracies fulfilling their criteria for Nato membership are welcome." | "The Nato Treaty very clearly states that European democracies fulfilling their criteria for Nato membership are welcome." |
| Mr de Hoop Scheffer said he understood Russian concerns but added that the "final decision will be taken by the allies and not by anybody else". | Mr de Hoop Scheffer said he understood Russian concerns but added that the "final decision will be taken by the allies and not by anybody else". |
| Answering a US call for more contributions to fight the Taleban and its al-Qaeda allies, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Tuesday that France would send "several hundred" more soldiers to Afghanistan. | Answering a US call for more contributions to fight the Taleban and its al-Qaeda allies, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Tuesday that France would send "several hundred" more soldiers to Afghanistan. |
| But he said France would oppose offering eventual Nato membership to Ukraine and Georgia, saying it would upset the balance of power between Europe and Russia. | But he said France would oppose offering eventual Nato membership to Ukraine and Georgia, saying it would upset the balance of power between Europe and Russia. |