Scheffer: NATO confirmed long-term involvement in Afghanistan

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced on Thursday that allies have confirmed their long-term involvement in Afghanistan. He said NATO needed a stronger cooperation and coordination of its actions and that must be accomplished for the building of a secure and prosperous state.

Scheffer said NATO would support the United Nations in their Afghanistan missions.

A joint statement of NATO member states and of those taking part in the Afghan mission says they will offer the necessary training teams and equipments for the creation of an efficient Afghan army of 80,000 troops by 2010.

The statement was made as talks concluded on Afghanistan at the NATO summit in Bucharest these days, in a press conference held together with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.