By Prensa Latina
Vilna : The meeting in Lithuania of defense ministers of NATO member countries plus 12 others involved in the occupation of Afghanistan is at a standstill.
On the closing day, the general secretary of NATO Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, admitted that the situation poses a challenge for the 38 members of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Friday’s session will focus on completing the now 42,000-strong ISAF ranks that currently include 18,000 US military and 7,000 from Britain.
The US, Great Britain and Canada to supply are urging NATO to supply from its 23 members another 2,500 men.
They will also talk cooperation with the Afghani government and contributions by the World Bank, European Union and the UN.
The ISAF was deployed under a UN resolution in Afghanistan since the US led invasion in 2001 and follows NATO command since 2003 in an effort to fight and control the resistance in the south.
The NATO-Russia Council will run along its Atlantic counterpart.