OHRID, Macedonia, June 29 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Friday that the alliance will strive to reduce civilian casualties in Afghanistan at all costs.

    "While maintaining military pressure, we will do our utmost to reduce the loss of civilian life," he told the plenary session of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) security forum.

    He said the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has enhanced cooperation with the U.S.-led forces which are fighting alongside the Afghan national army against the Taliban.

    "Let me make one point unmistakably: NATO has never, and will never intentionally kill innocent civilians," said de Hoop Scheffer.

    The majority of civilian casualties was the result of Taliban suicide bombing, he said.

    He asked NATO countries and partners to invest more in compensation funds for civilian casualties.

    De Hoop Scheffer asked for more efforts on development, especially economic reconstruction in Afghanistan.

    "Let us never lose sight of one fundamental fact: our ultimate success will not come by way of a military victory, but will depend primarily on reconstruction and development."

    He also asked for additional resources in training and equipping the Afghan national army as well as more troops for ISAF.