"If there is a sovereign and legitimate Iraqi government with full powers after the 30th of June and if that government would directly request NATO (help) on the basis of a new Security Council resolution giving a specific mandate to a stabilization force, NATO allies could enter in a discussion," Scheffer said during a visit to Oslo.

Since late last year the United States has been pushing for a greater NATO role in Iraq where coalition forces increasingly have been targeted by attacks this month. Washington would like the alliance involved in patrolling Iraq's borders.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization so far has had only a small logistical support operation in Iraq, to back Polish-led multinational coalition forces.

A request from a "sovereign, legitimate and credible" Iraqi government and a UN resolution would be two "important yardsticks" upon which NATO would base its decision, Scheffer said.

But he stressed that for the moment Afghanistan was on NATO's front burner.

"Afghanistan is clearly the first priority. The Alliance should do more to get the necessary forces on the ground. My plea and my appeal to all NATO allies is to do as much as they can to make the Afghanistan ... operation a success," he said.

A high-level NATO delegation arrived in the Afghan capital on Monday as the alliance considers how to expand its peacekeeping force in the country.

NATO commands the 6,500 ISAF peacekeeping troops in Afghanistan from some 34 nations and has been considering expanding outside Kabul for some time, particularly to secure greater security for elections this fall.

The alliance agreed in late 2003 to extend beyond Kabul but so far only 200 troops have been sent to the quiet northern district of Kunduz.

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