"Inevitably it will have to be discussed because people will force us to discuss it," NATO spokesman Mark Laity told reporters at a press conference.

In NATO's first mission outside Europe in its 54-year history, the alliance will on Monday take over command of the multinational peacekeeping force which helps provide security in and around the Afghan capital.

Laity however stressed that for the time being NATO would stick to ISAF's fixed mandate to assist with security in the Kabul area.

"We are not changing ISAF. We are here under the same mission, the same mandate and the same banner," he said.

Laity said NATO was well aware of calls by the United Nations and Afghan government for ISAF to be extended to the provinces, where security remains a problem amid increased attacks in the south and reports of the Taliban regrouping.

"It's premature ... to expect us to be able to say 'well this is what we're going to do in six months or 12 months'," he said.

"Our first priority is to settle in and do the existing job before we start immediately looking for more jobs.

"So for the moment it will be Kabul and surrounding areas and there has been no debate on anything beyond but we are obviously aware that there is a debate out there," said Laity, who is special advisor to NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson.

Laity said NATO would remain in Afghanistan as long as needed.

"NATO has taken on this burden, this challenge and also this privilege to help the people of Afghanistan on an open-ended basis," he said.

"So we will be here until success has been achieved. That does not mean forever because NATO is used to succeeding and we hope that we will be able to continue the progress of our previous ISAFs by bringing more continuity."

NATO command will end the previous search every six months for a new lead nation for ISAF, which has been under British, Turkish and current joint German-Dutch command since it was established in December 2001.

"NATO will not be finding a replacement, NATO is the replacement and we are very used to this kind of mission. In Bosnia, in Kosovo, in Macedonia, NATO has carried out peace support operations with great success.

"We now embark on a new challenge which is to help the people of Kabul and the government and to assist them in bringing security and stability to their country."

ISAF currently has around 4,600 troops contributed by 15 NATO members and 15 non-NATO nations but around 90 percent of the soldiers are supplied by NATO states.

WAR.WIRE