BRUSSELS, June 8 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Thursday that the alliance is determined to expand its peacekeepers in Afghanistan to the volatile south of the country.

    "Let no one doubt NATO's resolve, nor doubt our capability to carry out this mission," he told a joint press conference with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak.

    Wardak had just concluded a meeting with defense ministers of the 37 countries that contribute troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The troop contributors include non-NATO countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

    "The NATO ISAF has the force it needs and capabilities and has robust rules of engagement," said de Hoop Scheffer.

    "Yes, we will be tested. But we will react robustly ... We should not be under any illusion that NATO ISAF will be chased away from that region."

    He admitted that the lack of security in the region was a big concern, but added that the expansion was necessary.

    "We cannot afford and we will not accept to let the Taliban to get their way because all know the price of it," he said.

    NATO is planning to increase the number of ISAF troops from 9,000 to 15,000 and expand the mission by late July to the south of the country, the strongholds of the Taliban.

    ISAF, which was initially deployed in the Afghan capital Kabul, had been subsequently expanded to the west and north of the country, where the security situation was more favorable.

    Britain, Canada and the Netherlands will lead the expansion into the south, each country taking up a province.

    NATO envisages a further expansion of ISAF to the even more perilous east, after which the number of troops will reach 25,000, said NATO spokesman James Appathurai on Thursday.

    De Hoop Scheffer said all the troop contributing countries had sent a clear message to Wardak that "we do stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan to help them build a better future."

    De Hoop Scheffer warned, however, that the NATO mission is only "one leg of the stool." A long-term commitment of the international community and the support of the Afghan government are needed, he said.

    "NATO cannot operate in a void."

    He said Wardak reassured the participants that the Afghan government would take "active steps" to root out corruption.

    Wardak, for his part, said he was overwhelmed by the support given by these countries.

    He said Kabul was looking forward to the expansion of ISAF and was confident that NATO is capable of the mission.

    He expressed confidence that there will be a "drastic change" shortly in the security situation in the south as massive ISAF and Afghan forces move into the area.

    He also promised to work to improve security, governance and living standards of Afghans. Enditem