DW-World.de
Deutsche Welle

NATO defence ministers meeting in Budapest have reached a compromise deal on how to combat the trade of illicit drugs in Afghanistan. A spokesman for the Western military alliance told reporters that the ministers had agreed that NATO troops could act in concert with Afghan authorities against facilities or forces supporting the insurgency. However, he declined to provide any details. This follows US and Afghan calls for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force to do more to combat the illicit drug trade in the country. Some member states, including Germany, had argued that this was not part of NATO's mandate. Taliban militants fighting against ISAF troops are thought to be earning tens of millions of euros annually from the sale of heroin. The NATO ministers were also to meet with their Georgian counterpart to discuss ways of rebuilding the country following its conflict with Russia two months ago.