Nato wants commitment

RIGA – Nato leaders resumed their summit yesterday with a pledge to stay the course in Afghanistan despite mounting casualties and the continued refusal of some governments to send their troops into combat in the most dangerous regions.

“We will stand with the Afghan people for the long term,” Nato Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told the meeting. Leaders will declare that a new 25 000-member rapid response force designed as the spearhead of a modernised Nato military is ready for action after four years of preparation, de Hoop Scheffer announced.Nato officials said they received assurances at the leaders’ dinner Tuesday night that all would allow their troops in the 32 800-strong allied stabilisation force in Afghanistan to come to the aid of allied units in trouble anywhere in the country.The top allied commander, General James L Jones, said allies had given other commitments to reduce “caveats” restricting the use of their troops in Afghanistan, and officials said at least three nations had offered to send more troops.President Jacques Chirac said France planned to send more helicopters and warplanes.French officials said he would also allow French troops to operate beyond their base in Kabul, the Afghan capital, when needed.However, beyond emergency rescue missions, officials said France, Germany, Italy and Spain would not be sending troops to fight alongside the British, Canadian, Dutch and American forces on the front lines of the battle with the resurgent Taliban in the south and east.Nampa-APLeaders will declare that a new 25 000-member rapid response force designed as the spearhead of a modernised Nato military is ready for action after four years of preparation, de Hoop Scheffer announced.Nato officials said they received assurances at the leaders’ dinner Tuesday night that all would allow their troops in the 32 800-strong allied stabilisation force in Afghanistan to come to the aid of allied units in trouble anywhere in the country.The top allied commander, General James L Jones, said allies had given other commitments to reduce “caveats” restricting the use of their troops in Afghanistan, and officials said at least three nations had offered to send more troops.President Jacques Chirac said France planned to send more helicopters and warplanes.French officials said he would also allow French troops to operate beyond their base in Kabul, the Afghan capital, when needed.However, beyond emergency rescue missions, officials said France, Germany, Italy and Spain would not be sending troops to fight alongside the British, Canadian, Dutch and American forces on the front lines of the battle with the resurgent Taliban in the south and east.Nampa-AP