NATO defense ministers to discuss operations in Afghanistan

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Source: CCTV.com | 10-10-2008 09:54

NATO defense ministers have met in the Hungarian capital of Budapest to discuss operations in Afghanistan.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, left, and Hungarian Army Chief of Staff Andras Havril,  right, seen, while participating in a military  ceremony on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday Oct. 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)

The meeting came amid a worsening security situation in the war-torn country, with some questioning whether victory over the insurgency is even possible.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer honored some Hungarian troops who recently returned from service in Afghanistan. He also spoke of NATO's achievements.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO Secretary General, said, "NATO has successfully defended the freedom, democracy and common values of its member nations. In recent years the range of new threats has made that task a lot more difficult and a lot more dangerous."

The NATO defense ministers will discuss security needs for next year's Afghan presidential elections. NATO support for voter registration has already begun.

The US plans to send in reinforcement, and is expected to ask for more troops and equipment from allies for Afghanistan.

Germany has announced an increase in troops in Afghanistan, but rejected Washington's request to station them in the south, where most of the combat action takes place.

Washington is also asking Japan and NATO's other partner countries to foot the bill for the planned growth of the Afghan National Army from 7,000 to 13,400 troops.

Apart from Afghanistan, the ministers will discuss ways of improving the deployability and sustainability of troops outside NATO member countries.

They will also discuss funding for an initiative to update helicopters for expeditionary operations.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei