BRUSSELS, Oct. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has agreed on a detailed plan for training Iraqi security forces, which involves up to 300 instructors and isunder the command of senior US officers, a NATO official said Friday.

   The North Atlantic Council, NATO's policy-making body, agreed on outlines of the plan to create a training academy for top Iraqi officers, said NATO spokesman James Apputhurai when speaking to reporters.

   No start date was agreed but the 26-nation alliance wanted to launch the mission as soon as possible, he added.

   Under the plan, senior Iraqi officers will be trained in a military academy in the Baghdad region. In all, some 300 NATO trainers will be deployed, although the number of troops needed to protect the mission has not been set.

   NATO leaders decided at their summit in Istanbul, Turkey, in June to train Iraqi security forces.  Enditem