London: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US President Barack Obama agreed "good progress on burden sharing" in Afghanistan during a video conference call, his office said.
Both leaders, however, agreed during the 45-minute call late yesterday the need to encourage NATO allies "to do more" to assist the Afghan mission, as well as continued
action from neighbouring Pakistan, Downing Street said.
"They agreed on the importance of combining military and political strategies in Afghanistan, as well as on the need for continued action by Pakistan," a Downing Street
statement said.
"They acknowledged good progress on burden sharing, and agreed that they would continue to encourage ISAF allies to do more," it said.
The call comes the day before Obama is set to announce tens of thousands of more US troops for the costly and gruelling war in Afghanistan.
Brown announced yesterday that Britain will send an extra 500 troops to Afghanistan in December, tipping its deployment there over the 10,000 mark.
He said Britain's extra troops would be accompanied by new forces from at least eight other NATO allies, as well as the United States.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, December 01, 2009, 09:42