US Secretary of State Colin Powell called on allies Thursday to consider a more prominent role for NATO in the post-war stabilization of Iraq, where the alliance currently provides low-level and indirect support.

"The United States welcomes a greater NATO role in Iraq's stabilization," Powell said in a text prepared for delivery to foreign ministers of the 19-nation alliance.

"As we prepare for the Istanbul summit (of NATO next June), we urge the alliance to examine how it might do more to support peace and stability in Iraq, which every leader has acknowledged is critical to all of us," the text said.

NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson told allied foreign ministers Thursday the alliance should be prepared to take on a wider role in Iraq if needed.

"The alliance must continue to help NATO countries who take on leadership roles in Iraq, and prepare itself to take on new roles and missions where necessary," Robertson said.

His comments came as NATO nations revived a debate on expanding the alliance's role, perhaps by taking over the central Iraq peacekeeping division led by Poland late next year.

Robertson also announced a breakthrough in efforts to beef up NATO's peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan, after nations agreed to fill gaps in the alliance's Kabul force. Officials said Turkey and the Netherlands have agreed to deploy urgently needed helicopters to the 5,700- strong force.

The decision should allow NATO to push ahead with plans to expand the peacekeeping operation from the capital into several provincial cities, as requested by the United Nations and Afghan authorities.

Robertson had lobbied for months for more troops and equipment for the force, warning NATO's credibility was at risk. He said failure in Afghanistan could cause the country to slip into chaos where drugs gangs and terrorists would thrive.

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2003)