term commitment to helping Afghanistan build a stable, prosperous and democratic future," de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement following an informal meeting of NATO defence ministers. He said that Italy and Spain would establish a base at the western Afghan city of Herat, with Lithuanian troops deployed at Chagcharan, capital of Ghor province, and Spanish soldiers leading the deployment at Qal'eh-ye Now, capital of Baghdis province. European diplomats said an additional 500 soldiers will be needed for NATO's expanded role, which would bring the Alliance's total troop strength in Afghanistan to 9,000. --More 2343 Local Time 2043 GMT
