EU/NATO: The flags of seven new east European members were hoisted at NATO's headquarters yesterday, but celebrations were short-lived as foreign ministers tackled their under-resourced peace-keeping mission in Afghanistan.
The United States urged the alliance to consider taking a wider role in stabilising Iraq after sovereign government takes place, but Germany said NATO had enough on its plate expanding security in Afghanistan and in the Balkans.
Before allied ministers began their talks, the banners of formerly communist Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia were raised in the courtyard of the sprawling low-rise NATO complex in a Brussels suburb, four days after they joined, raising its membership to 26.
NATO warplanes began air patrols over the Baltic states as soon as they acceded on Monday, despite complaints from Moscow.
Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer rejected a suggestion that the alliance, which was plunged into a deep crisis before last year's US-led invasion of Iraq, needed to scrap its decision-by-consensus rule now it has 26 nations.
US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell told a news conference after the ceremony that "the alliance should consider a new collective role after the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty".
German Foreign Minister Mr Joschka Fischer reaffirmed Germany's line that it would not block a NATO role in Iraq, but he cast doubt on the wisdom of launching another operation when so many of the allies' forces are thinly stretched.
Afghanistan became NATO's first operational area outside Europe last year, demonstrating the alliance's determination to go beyond its traditional borders to tackle post-Cold War threats.
The ministers agreed on an operational plan yesterday to expand the 6,500-strong peacekeeping mission beyond Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, and set up five new military-civilian reconstruction teams in northern and western provinces by June.
However, the credibility of the alliance's ambition has been dogged by allies' reluctance to provide costly and scarce military equipment.
The NATO ministers agreed to provide security for the Athens Olympics and Euro 2004 soccer tournament in Portugal as part of a renewed offensive against terrorism following March's train bombings in Madrid.