NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks during a press briefing in Brussels, Wednesday. Fogh Rasmussen stated in a video blog Thursday that military and civilian organizations need to work together more.NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks during a press briefing in Brussels, Wednesday. Fogh Rasmussen stated in a video blog Thursday that military and civilian organizations need to work together more. (Virginia Mayo/Associated Press)

Afghanistan will serve as a prototype for future civil-military co-operation in handling crises in other weak or failing nations, says NATO's chief.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the organization's secretary general, said the military no longer provides "the complete answer" for complex conflicts such as Afghanistan. Instead, it needs the support of international development organizations and non-governmental organizations to provide the "soft power" needed to prevail in such crises.

Fogh Rasmussen complained in a video blog, released Thursday, that military and civilian aid groups currently "don't plan together, don't train together" and hardly share information.

To change that, he said, NATO plans to organize a conference for military planners, NGOs and other organizations.