Kabul, Sept 07: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today voiced support for expansion of Afghanistan's international peacekeeping but stressed that ultimately Afghans had to take responsibility for security in their own country. "I would certainly agree that expansion of ISAF will be a good thing," said Rumsfeld during a brief visit here to discuss plans for a sharp increase in aid with President Hamid Karzai.

Rumsfeld was referring to the 5,300-strong international security assistance force now under NATO command which is helping with security in the Afghan capital. "President Karzai and others from time to time have raised that issue," he told reporters during a joint press conference with Karzai in the presidential palace after talks with the President.

"We have encouraged it and President Karzai has encouraged it. "I don't want to suggest that I can see in the future, but the fact that NATO has done what they have done and the fact that there is some discussion about some broader participation in the provincial reconstruction teams, that there is at least a possibility that we could see somewhat of an expansion," he said.

NATO took over command of the peacekeeping force last month in the alliance's first operation outside its traditional European theatre of operations. Bureau Report