NATO chief urges world not to neglect Afghans

KABUL, July 20 (Reuters) NATO today urged the international community not to neglect Afghanistan at a time of conflict in the Middle East and Iraq, as the alliance gears up to take over security in the violence-plagued south of the country.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and its top commander of operations, U.S. General James Jones, met Afghan and U.S.-led coalition officials in Kabul to discuss what will be the alliance's biggest ground mission in its history.

''I think the attention of the international community could be higher than it is at the moment. A high level of political attention is an absolute essential,'' de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference at coalition headquarters in Kabul.

NATO is due to take over security operations in southern Afghanistan from the U.S.-led coalition at the end of the month. It already oversees operations in relatively secure areas in the north, west and in Kabul but Taliban guerrillas are active in the south.

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