US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Friday said European nations were providing "significant" contributions to NATO's operations in Afghanistan and that any further help on the civilian side would be welcomed, dpa reported.
"We must intensify our efforts to bring security and stability to Afghanistan," Gates said, and it is "critical that the alliance provides enough troops to ensure that the August elections are credible."
His comments followed a decision by US President Barack Obama to deploy an additional 17,000 soldiers to Afghanistan, a move which has piled pressure on other NATO allies to do more.
However, Gates made it clear that Europeans unwilling to commit combat troops to Afghanistan's most dangerous provinces could provide equally valuable help on the civilian side.
"We are providing a substantial addition on the military side, and if other countries are unable to strengthen their military commitment, but are willing and able to make a contribution on the stability, development side, those contributions would be very welcomed," Gates said.
Gates singled out Britain and Germany as two countries that were providing "significant" contributions on both the military and civilian side.
He also stressed that Obama would not ask "anybody for anything" until his administration had concluded its review of its Afghan strategy, which Gates said should be concluded in time for the April 3-4 NATO summit.
Such a review would also benefit from the input of the United States' NATO allies, as well as Afghans, Pakistanis and others, Gates said.
"I believe we are facing a very tough test in Afghanistan, but I have no doubt we will rise to the occasion, as we have done many times before," Gates said.
The transatlantic alliance's Afghan operations were the focus of talks held by NATO defence minister on Thursday. Those talks were also attended by Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and the United Nations' special envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide of Norway.
Officials in Krakow said up to 20 contributing members to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have vowed to send more troops to Afghanistan. Among them Germany and Italy, which have also promised to deploy additional forces ahead of Afghanistan's presidential elections, scheduled for August 20.
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