Afghanistan, Kosovo top NATO agenda

BRUSSELS, June 11 (UPI) -- NATO officials are planning to review operations concerning Afghanistan and Kosovo at a meeting of defense ministers in Brussels Thursday.

At the top of the agenda for the two-day meeting, the first ministerial level meeting since the April Bucharest Summit in Romania, will be reviewing the status of operations with the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

Additionally officials are expected to discuss the status of Kosovo and the NATO forces' role in ensuring a safe and secure environment in the country since it declared independence from Serbia in February, NATO reported.

Officials say the Nuclear Planning Group and Defense Planning Committee will hold meetings on Thursday along with a discussion on the comprehensive strategic political-military plan and its implementation in Afghanistan.

Defense ministers are expected to review the implementation of NATO's defense transformation during an open session scheduled for Friday.

Discussions with Yuriy Yekhanurov, Ukraine minister of defense, are also expected on Friday in an effort to further the dialogue on the potential of Ukraine joining NATO's membership action plan.