ISTANBUL, June 28: Leaders from 26 Nato nations on Monday approved training for Iraqi security forces only hours after the surprise early handover of Iraqi sovereignty and also pledged to expand Alliance security operations in Afghanistan.
"In response to the request of the Iraqi interim government... we have decided today to offer Nato's assistance to the government of Iraq with training of security forces," a Nato summit statement said.
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said all members agreed that the Alliance should train Iraqi security forces. But this was immediately denied by French President Jacques Chirac who insisted Iraqi troop training would "essentially be based on bilateral efforts" and not conducted as a distinct Nato operation.
"It is not the vocation of Nato to intervene in Iraq," Mr Chirac said, adding that any such action would have negative consequences. The Alliance also committed 3,500 additional soldiers to Afghanistan, expanding Nato's security operation in the country.
But a Nato official admitted that the mission's nuts and bolts had not been decided, saying: "We will work out the details of when, where and how in the coming weeks." France and Germany, which opposed the Iraq war, both have vowed not to deploy their forces in the country but say they will train Iraqis outside the country.
Asked if forces deployed in Iraq would operate under the Nato flag, the official said this had still not been decided. The decision in Istanbul came as the US-led coalition in Iraq handed over power to an interim Iraqi government, two days earlier than planned.
Sixteen Nato member states already have troops in Iraq, but the Alliance's collective role has thus far been limited to providing logistical support to the Polish military sector in the country.
Turning to Afghanistan, Nato leaders agreed to increase the number of troops serving in its International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to 10,000 from the present 6,500 in time for elections planned for late September or October.
Countries either redeploying their Afghan forces or sending fresh troops include Germany, Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands. At present, Nato's ISAF forces are based only in Kabul. Nato leaders agreed to create four additional 'provincial reconstruction teams' in northern Afghanistan, with plans for the possible setting up of a Nato supply base in Herat in western Afghanistan.
Alliance leaders also pledged to deploy more C-130 heavy airlift planes and attack helicopters in Afghanistan. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has been demanding a bigger Nato involvement in his country, will address summit leaders on Tuesday.
The Nato Istanbul summit is taking place amid massive security in the Alliance's only mainly Muslim state which also borders Iraq. Turkey's biggest city has been all but closed down with 23,000 police and soldiers blanketing the metropolis which straddles Europe and Asia.
Riot police clashed with about 2,000 protesters during the summit and used pepper spray and water cannon to break up a demonstration. Security forces are on edge after a small bomb exploded on a city bus last week, killing 4 people and wounding at least 14.
