Ministers attend the informal NATO ministers conference in Vilnius Feb. 7, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters, File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday accused some NATO allies of failing to share burdens in addressing global threats, especially in Afghanistan.

    Some nations are "forcing other allies to bear disproportionate share of fighting and dying," Gates told a group of high-profile diplomats at a key security conference in the southern German city of Munich.

    Gates made the remarks after Germany bluntly rejected a NATO request to send extra troops to the more volatile southern Afghanistan as an increasing number of Germans have become skeptical about the military missions.

    The secretary indicated that politicians should show more leadership than just seek poll support.

    "As politicians, we are the ones that must lead public voices," Gates said.

    "We must not - we cannot - become a two-tiered alliance of those willing to fight and those who are not," Gates said.

    "Such a development, with all its implications for collective security, would effectively destroy the alliance," he said.

    German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Saturday that Germany's rejection of the NATO request to send extra troops to southern Afghanistan is well justified.

    Germany's decision is "nothing to be ashamed of," Steinmeier told the Munich meeting, noting that Germany's limited military sources has made it impossible for his country to send more soldiers.

    But Germany will live up to its commitment to NATO in Afghanistan, he said.

    Some 3,500 German troops, the third biggest contributor after the United States and Britain, are currently deployed in the relatively peaceful northern Afghanistan under the 43,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

    Germany has recently decided to send a combat unit at another request of NATO to the northern Afghanistan to replace a 350-strong Norwegian force as a quick reaction force.

    NATO has reportedly been struggling to plug holes in the military missions in Afghanistan where security concerns have intensified recently.

    Canada has threatened to pull out its soldiers unless European allies such as France and Germany send additional troops to the southern Afghanistan.

    The annual three-day security meeting, which kicked off on Friday, is scheduled to discuss a range of the world's most thorny issues. It was attended by high-profile diplomats including NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana this year.

German FM defends German missions in Afghanistan

Map of Afghanistan and list of largest ISAF troop contributors.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    MUNICH, GERMANY, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Saturday Germany's decision to reject a NATO request to send extra troops to southern Afghanistan is well justified.

    Germany's decision is "nothing to be ashamed of," Steinmeier told a group of high-profile diplomats at a key security conference in the southern German city of Munich. Full story

French DM says military action not enough in Afghanistan

    MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- French Defense Minister Herve Morin said Saturday that military operation alone is not enough to solve the crisis in Afghanistan.

    "Military is only one element," Morin told a group of high-profile diplomats at a key security conference opened Friday in the southern German city of Munich. Full story