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| Nato chief warns of Afghan task | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says the alliance's mission in Afghanistan is not failing, but big challenges remain. | |
| He said the failure of Nato's mission in Afghanistan could result in terror attacks in Western countries. | |
| He was speaking ahead of a Nato defence ministers' meeting in Lithuania. | |
| His comments came as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit. | |
| If terrorism is not dealt with in Afghanistan, the consequences will be felt not just in Afghanistan and the region, but also in London, Brussels, and Amsterdam Jaap de Hoop SchefferNato Secretary General | |
| Mr de Hoop Scheffer said he would be spelling out to the Nato ministers that member nations must do more to train and equip the Afghan army. | |
| Some big challenges remained, including the adequate training and equipping of the Afghan national army, but he said Nato's mission in the country was one of necessity, not choice. | |
| "This is the front-line in the fight against terrorism, and what is happening in the Hindu Kush matters, because if terrorism is not dealt with in Afghanistan, the consequences will be felt not just in Afghanistan and the region, but also in London, Brussels, and Amsterdam," he told the BBC. | |
| The US and UK have been urging other Nato countries to share more of the combat burden in the south of the country. | |
| It is unlikely, however, that more combat troops will be offered at the Lithuanian meeting, although officials are hoping it will pave the way for further contributions to be made at Nato's summit in Bucharest in April, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Vilnius. | |
| Map of main troop deployments | Map of main troop deployments |
| The squabbling of recent days has again highlighted divisions within Nato over burden-sharing in Afghanistan, our correspondent adds. | |
| Bolstering support | |
| Ms Rice and Mr Miliband travelled to the volatile Kandahar region in the south of the country to take a look at front-line Nato activity there. | |
| They are expected to meet President Hamid Karzai and military leaders. | |
| On Wednesday, they held talks in London, where they discussed ways of getting Nato allies to share the burden of the fighting in the country's south. | |
| Earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Nato's future was at risk due to the refusal of some members to participate to the alliance's mission. | |
| Mr Gates said that without more, the willingness of those engaged in combat would disappear and Nato might become a "two-tier alliance". | |
| However, he said he would be spelling out to Nato defence ministers in Vilnius that member nations must do more to train and equip the Afghan army. | |
| Rift | |
| Most of the fighting in the volatile southern provinces is being done by troops from the US, UK, Canada and the Netherlands. | Most of the fighting in the volatile southern provinces is being done by troops from the US, UK, Canada and the Netherlands. |
| Canada has added to the pressure by threatening to remove its forces from Kandahar next year, unless other countries come up with more troops. | |
| I think that it puts a cloud over the future of the alliance if this is to endure, or perhaps even get worse Robert GatesUS Defence Secretary Q&A: Isaf troopsUS stand-off puzzles NatoUK-Afghan ties hit a low | |
| Last week, the US government sent letters to European states pressing them to send troops to southern Afghanistan. | Last week, the US government sent letters to European states pressing them to send troops to southern Afghanistan. |
| Mr Gates reluctantly agreed recently to send an extra 3,200 US marines to the country, having previously suggested the extra troops should be provided by other countries. | Mr Gates reluctantly agreed recently to send an extra 3,200 US marines to the country, having previously suggested the extra troops should be provided by other countries. |
| All 26 Nato members have contributed troops to the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), but many US allies, including Germany, France, Spain, Turkey and Italy, have refused to send significant numbers of combat forces to the south. | All 26 Nato members have contributed troops to the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), but many US allies, including Germany, France, Spain, Turkey and Italy, have refused to send significant numbers of combat forces to the south. |
| The decision has created a rift between them and the US, UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark and Romania, whose troops have borne the brunt of the counter-insurgency fight in recent years. | The decision has created a rift between them and the US, UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark and Romania, whose troops have borne the brunt of the counter-insurgency fight in recent years. |
| ISAF TROOP DEPLOYMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN Countries contributing more than 1,000 troops as of December 2007 Canada 2,500France 1,292Germany 3,155Italy 2,358Netherlands 1,512 Poland 1,141Turkey 1,219UK 7,753US 15,038 Source: ISAF | |
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