Biden and Karzai in Kabul meeting

Biden and Karzai discussed US aid and the fight against the Taleban

US Vice-President-elect Joe Biden has met Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to discuss US help in Afghanistan's reconstruction.

They also discussed the fight against militants, after Mr Biden met the commander of Nato-led forces in Afghanistan, Gen David McKiernan.

Gen McKiernan raised the need for more equipment for US troops expected in the country later this year, Nato said.

Some 20-30,000 troops could be deployed in 2009, military officials say.

Correspondents say the security situation in Afghanistan - and the fight against Taleban insurgents there - is one of the incoming US administration's foreign policy priorities.

'Big sacrifice'

Gen McKiernan told Mr Biden that more helicopters, engineers, military police and other "additional enablers" would be needed for the thousands of extra US expected in Afghanistan later this year, said US military spokesman Col Greg Julian.

"As we expand in the south we will need those additional enablers to cover for the troops," the Associated Press quoted Col Julian as saying.

Mr Biden, who is due to take office alongside Barack Obama in 10 days, thanked US troops serving in the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) for their "big sacrifice", the Nato statement said.

There are currently about 60,000 foreign soldiers in Afghanistan. Most are part of Isaf.

The troops include about 33,000 US soldiers and some 28,000 Nato forces from 40 countries.

During his visit to Afghanistan, the vice-president elect was also briefed by military commanders, government figures and UN officials to assess the progress in rebuilding Afghanistan.

He also met Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar, who asked for more help in the building of Afghanistan's national police force.

On Friday, Mr Biden met Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad.