As the European Union's police mission in Kosovo finds its footing and the strength of the lightly armed Kosovo Security Force grows, NATO "can have a transition to the concept of a deterrent presence," allowing local forces to take responsibility, said German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung.

"That would mean, in the first phase, that we would go from roughly 15,000 to 10,000 towards the end of the year," he added.

NATO's peacekeeping mission, KFOR, has been in Kosovo since the alliance's air campaign against Serbia ended 10 years ago. Pressure to reduce its presence mounted in March when Spanish Defense Minister Charme Chacon told his country's 500 troops that they would soon be coming home.

Spain is one of the few NATO countries that have not recognized Kosovo's independence, declared last year, making it difficult to support nation-building efforts.

Other nations have also been calling for KFOR to be scaled back amidst pressure to move more troops to other areas of conflict like Afghanistan or the Gulf of Aden.

The ministers are also scheduled to debate sending a new anti-piracy mission to the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. The current NATO mission there was hastily organized in March and is set to sail home at the end of June.

hf/AFP/AP/dpa
Editor: Chuck Penfold