Brown demands assurances on women�s rightsBy Catriona Stewart
NATO has agreed to back American plans to boost troop numbers in Afghanistan ahead of the country's presidential election in August. European leaders pledged to contribute 5,000 troops to train the country's army. However, the prime minister, Gordon Brown, insisted Nato's support of Afghanistan would come only after reassurances of a significant improvement in women's rights.
Speaking after the summit, Robert Gibbs, a spokesman for US president Barack Obama, said the new forces comprised 3000 to secure the forthcoming Afghan elections, including 900 from Britain, 600 from Germany and 600 from Spain.
In addition, 1400 to 2000 troops from 11 countries would be formed into 70 "operational mentoring liaison teams" to train Afghanistan's national army, and 300 mentors and trainers - led by the French - would assist the Afghan police.
Obama also said that extra funding of around $100 million had been secured, with $57 million of it from Germany, for the Afghan National Army Trust Fund, and $500 million in civilian aid. But he also made it clear that America would not be able to take on the entire combat responsibility alone.
Obama added that he had approached the summit with the aim of building bridges with Europe. He said: "The United States came here to listen, to learn and to lead, because all of us have a responsibility to do our part. America cannot meet our global challenges alone. Nor can Europe meet them without America."
However, Brown voiced grave concern over the Shi'ite Personal Status Law, a new law for Afghanistan's Shi'ite minority, in a phonecall yesterday to the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. The prime minister demanded assurances that the law would not infringe on women's rights and said he had secured reassurance from Karzai.
The United States, Nato, Canada and the United Nations have spoken out against the law, saying it legalises marital rape.
A British official said Karzai had told Brown he had asked Afghanistan's Justice Ministry to look at every aspect of the law, consult with the Shi'a community and if necessary bring a revised draft back to parliament.
Nato's ability to succeed in Afghanistan is seen as a crucial test of the power and relevance of the alliance, with European leaders and voters remaining sceptical about whether more troops can stabilise a country devastated by decades of war.
However, Afghanistan remained at the heart of the summit with the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, stressing their support for the new strategy that Obama was formally unveiling.
But both also stressed the need for the Afghan government and security forces to shoulder their part of the burden, giving no sign they were prepared to send more troops. France and Germany believe civilian aid and training for police are what is needed to stabilise Afghanistan.
