POIANA BRASOV, Romania, Oct 13 (AFP) - British defence minister Geoff Hoon said Wednesday that a NATO mission to train Iraq's military elite is an important part of US-led forces' exit strategy from the war-scarred country.
He was speaking after NATO defence ministers discussed plans to send some 300-400 instructors to Iraq to train senior military officers, if possible in time for January elections.
"The exit strategy is dependent on the ability of the Iraqis to organize their own security. The sooner that happens ... the sooner it will be possible for foreign forces to leave Iraq," he said.
"That will be something that I'm sure will be satisfactory both for Iraq as well as for the contributing countries," he added after the NATO meeting in a Romanian ski resort.
Hoon pointed out that the NATO mission -- centred on a military academy outside Baghdad -- will complement training already going on in Iraq, because it will concentrate on the top ranks rather than ordinary troops.
"This is where I think NATO can make a particular contribution," he said.
NATO ambassadors last week tasked military planners with drawing up detailed plans for the Iraq training mission, which was agreed in principle in June but which has been the subject of prolonged haggling notably due to resistance from France and others over the details of the operation.
Hoon said the mission should now go ahead as quickly as possible.
"It's important that having agreed this ... that member states carry through their agreement. We want to see that mission working successfully, providing effective training," he said.