US President George W. Bush addressed sensitive topics such as Afghanistan, NATO's enlargement and efforts to deploy a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe with visiting NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Crawford, Texas on Monday.

At a joint press conference with the NATO chief later, Bush revealed that "we spent a lot of time talking about Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a vital mission for the United States and for our allies in Europe, because what happens in Afghanistan will impact on the security of all our countries."

"The secretary general is determined to give NATO commanders the forces necessary to defeat the extremists and murderers who are trying to stop the advance of that country," Bush said, renewing his pledge that the US would work with NATO allies "to convince them that they must share more of the burden and must all share the risks in meeting our goal."

For his part, the NATO chief said Afghanistan remained on the front lines in fighting terrorism.

"And it is my strong conviction that that front line should not become a fault line. This is why all 26 NATO allies will remain committed to Afghanistan, and that the whole international community, for the long term, stays committed to that nation," he said.

The United States has urged other NATO states of late to up their troop and equipment to the Afghanistan theatre to counter the Taliban's spring offensive, an issue made more difficult by the off-putting body counts.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2007)