By KUNA
London : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was holding talks here Wednesday with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband, covering a wide range of international issues including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran.
But British officials said that a major part of their discussions will be devoted to the NATO tensions over the provision of fighting troops in Afghanistan.
They will also look for ways to repair relations with Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai who has rejected much of the Western strategy for his country.
Commentators said that the talks between Rice and British leaders are taking place at a critical moment, with London and Washington seeking to galvanize international action on Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear crisis.
The NATO disagreement over Afghanistan came at a time when participating countries have taken the heaviest casualties in the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Earlier, France and Germany have been criticized for failing to send forces to parts of Afghanistan which have seen the most intense fighting.
On Iraq, both Rice and her hosts will be united in their commitment to help achieve security and stability in the country, the officials went on.
Both the UK and the US will reiterate the need for further progress on national reconciliation in Iraq.