Nato upbeat on move into southern Afghanistan

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the chief of Nato today expressed optimism the alliance could iron out problems over its planned expansion next year into the volatile south of the country.

At a joint press conference after talks with Karzai, Nato secretary-general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the alliance was confident of resolving issues over how to work alongside the separate US-led coalition force.

Karzai said the Nato force would have “the capacity to act against terrorism,” but would play only a support role to the Afghan government in fighting drugs.

Nato, which currently has multinational peacekeepers in the more stable north and west of Afghanistan, plans to deploy 6,000 extra troops with more “robust” rules for imposing security in the south, where Taliban and al Qaida rebels are active.

France, Germany, Spain and some other European allies have insisted the Nato troops should not become involved in counterinsurgency operations, currently the domain of the 20,000-strong coalition force. They say the missions should be kept separate, but alliance experts are working on a plan to eventually bring them under a single, Nato command.

De Hoop Scheffer said, “It’s crystal clear that we need more synergy … (to) avoid conflict between the two operations.”

“There is still the need for counter-insurgency (in the south),” he told reporters at the presidential palace in Kabul. “I’m optimistic we can reach a strong consensus … on the rules of engagement.”

Despite criticism over the alleged involvement of Afghan officials in the drugs trade, Karzai said his government would take the lead in counternarcotics, only asking the support of Nato and others when necessary.

“The fight against narcotics, the eradication of poppies, should be carried out mainly by the Afghan government,” the president said.

Afghanistan is estimated to produce nearly 90 per cent of the world’s opium, the raw material of heroin that is derived from poppies. Much of it comes from the south of the country.