Top military and defense officials met Wednesday and Thursday in Brussels to address how to further the initiatives set forth during the Bucharest summit at the beginning of April, NATO reported.

The range of military-related issues addressed during the meeting, the first of three meetings scheduled to convene NATO chiefs of defense, included a discussion on furthering the mission of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, concerns over Kosovo and cyberdefense initiatives, among other items.

"The International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan now comprises 40 countries with close to 50,000 troops, and more forces continue to be made available," Gen. Ray Henault, NATO military committee chairman and NATO's top military officer, said in a statement.

"It remains the alliance's top operational priority and a NATO commitment for the long term. On Kosovo, the chiefs of defense expressed their satisfaction at the current force levels in place, and the arrangements for additional reserve forces should the situation on the ground require."

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