Countries with troops in southern Afghanistan will today discuss rising violence by Taliban insurgents and US calls for bigger contributions to the Nato mission there.
Ministers are also increasingly looking at how to boost non-military efforts in Afghanistan, with a view to helping the Afghan government provide basic services and dissuade local people from siding with the insurgents.
British Defence Secretary Des Browne will host the meeting of eight nations in Edinburgh.
Insurgent violence is at its highest level in Afghanistan since US-led forces ousted the Taliban after the September 11th, 2001, attacks against the United States.
Compared to a year ago, violence overall is up 27 per cent and has risen 60 per cent in the southern province of Helmand, according to the US military.
Britain and the United States have long called for other nations to shoulder more of the burden in Afghanistan.