NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS REAFFIRMED ON FRIDAY THE ALLIANCE'S READINESS TO NEARLY DOUBLE ITS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE VIOLENCE IS INCREASING, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. AHEAD OF KEY REPORT TO THE UNITED NATIONS ON TEHRAN'S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS, IRAN ALSO LOOMED OVER THE TWO DAYS OF TALKS IN THE BULGARIAN CAPITAL, WITH U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND OTHERS ON THURSDAY CALLING FOR TOUGH ACTION IF IT IGNORED DEMANDS TO SUSPEND URANIUM ENRICHMENT. HOWEVER, DIPLOMATS SAID NO DECISIONS WERE TAKEN OVER NEXT STEPS ON IRAN DURING A LATE-NIGHT SESSION ON THURSDAY. NATO'S PLAN TO RAISE TROOP LEVELS IN AFGHANISTAN TO SOME 17,000 FROM JULY AND HELP THE UNITED STATES WIND DOWN ITS PRESENCE IN THE PERILOUS SOUTH WILL SEND THE ALLIANCE ON WHAT IS SET TO BE THE TOUGHEST GROUND MISSION IN ITS 58-YEAR HISTORY. REMNANTS OF THE TALIBAN MOVEMENT THAT RULED AFGHANISTAN UNTIL IT WAS OUSTED BY THE UNITED STATES IN 2001 ANNOUNCED A SPRING OFFENSIVE IN MARCH AND THE COUNTRY HAS SEEN A RISE IN THE KIND OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS SEEN IN IRAQ. "THERE IS A SHARED DETERMINATION TO PUSH FORWARD WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE MISSION," NATO SPOKESMAN JAMES APPATHURAI SAID OF THE MINISTER'S TALKS. "THE SECOND MESSAGE FROM THE TALKS WAS THAT NATO FORCES SHOULD USE ROBUSTLY THE ROBUST RULES OF ENGAGEMENT THEY HAVE. THIS WILL BE AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT AGAINST ATTACKS," HE TOLD REPORTERS. NATO TOOK OVER THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN 2003 AND COVERS THE CAPITAL KABUL, THE NORTH AND WEST. THE MOVE SOUTH AND SUBSEQUENTLY EAST WILL HELP THE UNITED STATES WIND DOWN ITS TROOP PRESENCE FROM 19,000 TO 16,500 THIS YEAR. BRITAIN, CANADA AND THE NETHERLANDS ARE DUE TO LEAD THE DEPLOYMENT TO THE SOUTH, WHICH INCLUDES THE COUNTRY'S MAIN OPIUM-GROWING REGION AND MOST DANGEROUS TERRITORIES.
