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)
