Colorado Springs (US), Oct 08: Extending Nato's mission in Afghanistan will top the agenda of defence Ministers’ meeting here, Secretary General George Robertson has said. "My top priority is that we get Afghanistan right," he told journalists yesterday. Robertson said that several issues would have to be cleared up at the informal two-day meeting here before the North Atlantic Treaty Organization could come to a final decision. "We've got to get it right." Nato agreed Monday to extend its forces beyond Kabul to help clamp down on a recent rise in violence blamed on a resurgent Taliban.
However, "there's quite a bit to be explored before we take a final decision," Robertson said.
Robertson is to contact UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to confirm Nato's willingness to broaden the mandate of the 5,300-strong peacekeeping force.
The decision, which needs UN Security Council approval, would see German forces taking the lead in extending the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), which Nato has commanded since August.
"I wrote to the Secretary General pointing out that we have taken one further step on the road to an expansion of Isaf but that we have not yet arrived at a decision.
"Next week, we'll be looking at the military advice on the feasibility and the command of any expansion of Isaf."
Bureau Report