| NATO countries, which are being pressed for | | | | there is an urgent need for NATO troops to |
| greater troop contributions in Afghanistan, | | | | train the Afghan army and provide security |
| are scaling back a 2,500-member rapid | | | | for provincial reconstruction teams. |
| reaction force that is to respond to | | | | |
| international crises. | | | | Other NATO discussions Thursday were to focus |
| | | | on Kosovo and on U.S. plans to install a |
| NATO defense ministers, meeting in the | | | | missile defense system in Poland and the |
| Netherlands, authorized the down-sizing | | | | Czech Republic. |
| Thursday. | | | | |
| | | | Washington has in recent weeks floated |
| The brainchild of former U.S. Defense | | | | several proposals aimed at easing Russian |
| Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the NATO Response | | | | concerns about the deployment. But Moscow has |
| Force provides for deploying seasoned troops | | | | shown no public signs of softening its |
| on five days' notice to crises across the | | | | opposition to the missile system, which |
| globe. | | | | President Vladimir Putin says will |
| | | | destabilize eastern Europe and trigger a new |
| Analysts say the project was doomed by | | | | arms race. |
| pressure on NATO members to maintain a | | | | |
| 40,000-member troop presence in Afghanistan. | | | | But Russian Defense Minister Anatoli |
| | | | Serdyukov Thursday said the latest proposals |
| In closed-door sessions Wednesday, U.S. | | | | have not yet eased his country's concerns on |
| Defense Secretary Robert Gates pressed NATO | | | | the issue. |
| ministers to send more soldiers to southern | | | | |
| Afghanistan, the scene of the most serious | | | | Some information for this report was provided |
| fighting with Taliban forces. Gates also said | | | | by AFP and AP . |