ROME, Dec 25: Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Thursday Afghanistan would be one of the G8’s main priorities when Rome takes over the rotating presidency of the rich nations’ club on Jan 1.

Afghanistan will be one of the “political priorities” of Italy’s presidency, he said during a Christmas message to Italian troops stationed abroad.

“Under the Italian presidency, the world’s largest players will focus on perhaps today’s most important theme of world security,” he said and added that Italy planned to host a meeting of G8 foreign ministers in June to focus on “stabilising” Afghanistan and Pakistan.

China, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt may also participate in the meeting expected to be held in Trieste, northeast Italy.

Earlier this month, Italy said it would increase its number of troops in Afghanistan by 500 to 2,800 for six months next year in the face of a “delicate operational situation” in Herat province.

As well as Italy, the Group of Eight industrialised nations comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia and the United States.—AFP