BRUSSELS — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates joined NATO defense ministers here Thursday in an effort to push forward a design for missile defenses that will protect all alliance nations from a potential Iranian ballistic missile attack.
Over their scheduled two days of talks, the defense ministers also will discuss additional fighting forces and military trainers for the NATO-led stability mission in Afghanistan, as well as security issues arising from insurgents hiding across the border in neighboring Pakistan.
The future status of a NATO training mission in Kosovo, which adopts its constitution on June 15 but whose independence is not yet recognized by all alliance members, also is on the agenda.
Senior alliance officials said that no major decisions were expected out of the talks.
A senior Defense Department official traveling with Mr. Gates said the United States would press alliance members to agree on options for a defensive system against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
That future NATO missile defense system would cover territory across the southeastern rim of the alliance Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Turkey.
Portions of those nations — including almost all of Turkey — would not be covered by the longer-range missile defense system the United States hopes to install in Poland and the Czech Republic, and NATO is committed to extending the protection to all 26 alliance nations and their populations.
The final architecture for the NATO missile defense system is due by an alliance summit meeting next year.
American plans to place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a tracking and targeting radar in the Czech Republic have prompted virulent opposition in Russia, whose defense minister is set to meet with NATO counterparts here on Friday.
Alliance defense ministers are again expected to discuss shortfalls in NATO troop commitments for Afghanistan, as well as the risks posed by cross-border attacks from Taliban troops finding safe haven in Pakistan.
On Kosovo, the former province of Serbia seceded in February but not all NATO nations have recognized its sovereignty. Those legal differences have cast doubt on an alliance security training mission.
NATO’s goal is to create a modest Kosovo Security Force of 2,500 personnel, officials said. A European Union police mission set for Kosovo is months behind schedule.
