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| Nato 'should share Afghan burden' | Nato 'should share Afghan burden' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| All members of the Nato alliance should share the "burden" of fighting the Taleban in Afghanistan, US President George W Bush has said. | All members of the Nato alliance should share the "burden" of fighting the Taleban in Afghanistan, US President George W Bush has said. |
| Speaking at his Texas ranch with Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Mr Bush also said Nato must transform to meet modern-day threats. | Speaking at his Texas ranch with Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Mr Bush also said Nato must transform to meet modern-day threats. |
| Nato commands more than 35,000 troops battling Taleban rebels in Afghanistan. | Nato commands more than 35,000 troops battling Taleban rebels in Afghanistan. |
| More than 4,000 people were killed last year in fighting between militants and international-led forces. | More than 4,000 people were killed last year in fighting between militants and international-led forces. |
| Mr Bush is meeting Mr de Hoop Scheffer to discuss US plans for a missile defence shield in Europe and progress on the future status of the UN-administered Kosovo, as well as issues in Afghanistan. | |
| 'Moral difference' | |
| The president said he understood that Nato's effort in Afghanistan would require "more than military action". | |
| "We support a long-term comprehensive strategy to help strengthen Afghanistan's democratic institutions and help create the economic opportunity that will help this young democracy survive and thrive," he said. | |
| But he stressed that Nato members should be more prepared to commit troops to the battle in Afghanistan. | |
| Mr de Hoop Scheffer said that every effort was being made to avoid civilian casualties as Nato forces confronted the Taleban. | |
| He lamented recent civilian deaths because of Nato air strikes, but insisted the organisation was "not in the same moral category" as the Taleban, who Mr Bush said frequently use civilians as human shields. |