NATO defence ministers arrive, reax from German and UK mins
(8 Jun 2006) SHOTLIST AP Television 1. Exterior of NATO Headquarters with flag 2. Mid shot of NATO Headquarters POOL 3. US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld arriving in car AP Television - AP Clients only 4. Interior of Rumsfeld arriving 5. Cutaway cameraman POOL 6. German defence minister Franz Josef Jung arriving AP Television - AP Clients only 7. Wide of Jung speaking to media 8. SOUNDBITE: (German) Franz Josef Jung, German Defence Minister: "I am convinced that we will get an agreement today (Thursday) to extend this approach to all of Afghanistan." 9. Cutaway media POOL 10. British Defence Secretary Des Browne arriving AP Television 11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Des Browne, British Defence Secretary: "Good morning. We're here to discuss some very key issues such as how the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force ) can support the Afghanistan government in bringing peace and security and stability to the people, and I am very pleased that we're going to be joined by the Afghan Minister of Defence Abdul Rahim Wardak. We're also here, of course, to discuss NATO transformation in anticipation of the Riga summit in November. We will be discussing how we can continue to generate forces for the NRF (NATO Response Force) and we'll also be looking at how we can develop new initiatives for launching at the Riga summit. Of course, I am also looking forward to meeting my new colleagues. I've already had a very productive meeting with Donald Rumsfeld. (Addresses reporters:) I have to take off for business now, thank you very much." 12. Various interiors of conference 13. Media outside building 13. British and American flags outside NATO Headquarters STORYLINE NATO defence ministers on Thursday expressed determination to push ahead with plans to extend their peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan across the whole of the country in the face of renewed violence by the deposed Taliban regime's supporters. NATO had a duty to help stabilise Afghanistan and would be expanding its existing system of combined security and support for reconstruction into the country's dangerous south and east, German minister Franz Josef Jung said. "I am convinced that we will get an agreement today (Thursday) to extend this approach to all of Afghanistan," Jung told reporters as he arrived for the day-long talks, which will be joined by Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak. NATO is increasing its force from 9,000 to 16,000 with an expansion into the southern region that is due to be completed by late July. The alliance hopes by November to complete its expansion across the whole of Afghanistan by taking on the eastern sector, increasing its total numbers to 21,000. The deployment of more troops into the former Taliban strongholds in the south has been met by an upsurge of attacks, including suicide bombings against international forces and their Afghan allies. In a report this week, the London-based security think-tank, the Senlis Group, said that parts of the south were slipping into open warfare with a revival of support for Taliban control as local people grew disillusioned with continued poverty made worse by Afghan government efforts to eradicate opium production. NATO officials, however, have characterised the violence as a last gasp effort by the insurgents before the peacekeeping force's full deployment. They expressed confidence that the increased numbers and tactics that mix outreach to the local population and a strong reaction to violence will quell the unrest. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
