Australia denies Nato request for troops in Afghanistan

Australia agreed with Nato’s secretary-general that Afghanistan’s burgeoning opium crop was a growing international problem, but refused a request to increase Australia’s military presence there to help deal with it, officials said today.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer this week became the first ever Nato chief to visit Australia, where he signed a security agreement between the alliance and the Pacific nation and held talks with the defence and foreign ministers.