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Nato head commits to Afghanistan Nato plans more Afghan resources
(about 5 hours later)
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said the organisation cannot "run away" from Afghanistan, as members hold talks in the Netherlands. Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says a number of alliance members have offered more resources for the military campaign in Afghanistan.
If Nato left Afghanistan now it would become a failed state and a training ground for terrorists, he told the BBC. Officials at a meeting of Nato defence ministers in the Dutch coastal town of Noordwijk said as many as nine nations had offered more input to the mission.
US calls for its allies to send more troops to Afghanistan were high on the agenda of the meeting in Noordwijk. Among the new offers were two by France and Germany for military instructors.
Washington provides more than 15,100 of over 41,100 Nato troops in Afghanistan, where the Taleban is resurgent. US officials, who have been calling for allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, welcomed the development.
The Nato secretary general told a news conference: "I've noticed offers from nations, including for the southern part of Afghanistan.
Nato's secretary general said he would float the idea at the talks of more national contingent rotations around the country, although he stressed it was a long-term idea. "We have 90% filled of what we need, but there are still shortages."
See how Nato members' contributions compareSee how Nato members' contributions compare
Meanwhile, French officials indicated they were planning to send up to 50 military trainers to the south of the country. The exact shape of any new Nato contributions to the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) of 41,100 in Afghanistan could become clear next month during a meeting at the alliance's headquarters in Belgium.
The BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Noordwijk says US, UK, Canadian and Dutch troops are bearing the lion's share of fighting a revived Taleban. The BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Noordwijk says US, UK, Canadian and Dutch troops have been unhappy about bearing the lion's share of fighting a revived Taleban.
National caveats currently prevent some countries - such as Germany, Italy, France and Spain - from either fighting or from being based in the more dangerous provinces. The US has an additional 7,000 troops serving in Afghanistan outside the Isaf framework.
Are we going to see Afghanistan become a failed state again? A training camp for terrorists? Quite honestly I do not think so Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
This has led to a perception of an unfairly shared burden, says our correspondent.
Before the two days of talks between 26 Nato defence ministers opened on Wednesday at the Dutch seaside resort, Mr De Hoop Scheffer said members must fulfil their Afghan mission.
He told the BBC: "We cannot simply run away from the Afghan people and say 'thank you very much ladies and gentlemen but this is it we are leaving'.
"Secondly, are we going to see Afghanistan become a failed state again? Be a training camp for terrorists with all the consequences for London, for Amsterdam, for Brussels, and for the United States? Quite honestly I do not think so."
Before the meeting, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates had complained some European nations were not pulling their weight in Afghanistan.
A Pentagon spokesman told Reuters: "The secretary does not seek to single out or embarrass any one nation but remind this powerful alliance of their moral responsibility and collective commitments."
'No free ride''No free ride'
As talks got underway, the Netherlands - which has seen 10 of its soldiers killed in Afghanistan - also appealed for more help. National caveats currently prevent some countries - such as Germany, Italy, France and Spain - from either fighting, or from being based in the more dangerous provinces.
I wouldn't say I'm satisfied - but I would say that today was considerably more positive than I anticipated Robert Gates US Defence Secretary Nato allies' Afghan burden
Nato's secretary general said he would float the idea of more national contingent rotations around the country, although he stressed it was a long-term idea.
French officials indicated they were planning to send up to 50 military trainers to the frontline in the south of the country to instruct Afghan security forces.
German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung announced Berlin would contribute more military trainers too. He also said reconstruction was as important as fighting insurgents.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates told the AP news agency: "I wouldn't say I'm satisfied. But I would say that today was considerably more positive than I anticipated."
The Netherlands, which is under growing public pressure to pull out its troops from Afghanistan, joined US calls for allies to share the burden as the two days of talks began.
"One thing is certain, there is no such thing as a free ride to peace and security," said Dutch Defence Minister Eimert Van Middelkoop."One thing is certain, there is no such thing as a free ride to peace and security," said Dutch Defence Minister Eimert Van Middelkoop.
The Netherlands has warned its parliament may not extend the mission beyond August, unless they get more back-up. Six years since the toppling of the Taleban regime, there is an air of concern, if not crisis, about the 38-nation mission to Afghanistan, say analysts.
Six years since the toppling of the Taleban, there is an air of concern, if not crisis, about the 38-nation mission to Afghanistan, say analysts.
As well as a Taleban fight back and record poppy crops, rebuilding has gone more slowly than expected, while civilian and military casualties have tested public support for the mission.As well as a Taleban fight back and record poppy crops, rebuilding has gone more slowly than expected, while civilian and military casualties have tested public support for the mission.

International Security Assistance Force

Troop contributing nations

  No. of troops   No. of troops Albania 138 Italy 2395 Australia 907 Latvia 97 Austria 3 Lithuania 195 Azerbaijan 22 Luxembourg 9 Belgium 368 Macedonia 129 Bulgaria 401 Netherlands 1516 Canada 1730 New Zealand 138 Croatia 199 Norway 508 Czech Rep. 233 Poland 937 Denmark 454 Portugal 162 Estonia 128 Romania 536 Finland 85 Slovakia 70 France 1073 Slovenia 42 Georgia - Spain 715 Germany 3155 Sweden 340 Greece 146 Switzerland 2 Hungary 225 Turkey 1220 Iceland 11 United Kingdom 7740 Ireland 7 United States 15108 ISAF total 41144     National Support elements 4140     Source: Nato

International Security Assistance Force

Troop contributing nations

  No. of troops   No. of troops Albania 138 Italy 2395 Australia 907 Latvia 97 Austria 3 Lithuania 195 Azerbaijan 22 Luxembourg 9 Belgium 368 Macedonia 129 Bulgaria 401 Netherlands 1516 Canada 1730 New Zealand 138 Croatia 199 Norway 508 Czech Rep. 233 Poland 937 Denmark 454 Portugal 162 Estonia 128 Romania 536 Finland 85 Slovakia 70 France 1073 Slovenia 42 Georgia - Spain 715 Germany 3155 Sweden 340 Greece 146 Switzerland 2 Hungary 225 Turkey 1220 Iceland 11 United Kingdom 7740 Ireland 7 United States 15108 ISAF total 41144     National Support elements 4140     Source: Nato
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