ROME, Nov 25, 2009 (AFP) -

US President Barack Obama called Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Wednesday to ask for Italy's support in strengthening the mission in Afghanistan, the Italian government said.

Obama will announce his new Afghan strategy in an address on Tuesday and is widely expected to send more than 34,000 extra American troops to fight the Taliban-led insurgency.

During the call, Obama explained the main elements of the new strategy to Berlusconi, according to a statement from the Italian premier's office.

"President Obama paid tribute to Berlusconi's leadership on the Afghan issue and in a number of other areas of crisis, and asked him for Italy's support in strengthening the international community's engagement in Afghanistan," it said.

"The prime minister welcomed this request and they both decided the matter should be discussed in more depth at the next meeting between the (Italian) Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton."

Berlusconi met the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Wednesday, and promised the organisation would have Italy's "full support".

The two men established common ground on the need for a new operational approach in Afghanistan, the statement said, including more training for Afghan police and security forces.

Both expressed hope the new Afghan government would rise to the tough challenges facing the country.

With 3,250 troops, the Italian contingent is the sixth largest in the international force of 100,000 currently stationed in Afghanistan.

Italy has begun to withdraw between 400 and 500 soldiers sent as reinforcements for the controversial Afghan election.

Berlusconi said in September that "we are keen to bring our boys home as soon as possible," but "this is something that we cannot decide alone, because otherwise we would affect the confidence of other countries present there."

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AFP 252026 GMT 11 09