NATO foreign ministers’ conference begins

BRUSSELS (Pajhwok): A two-day conference of foreign ministers from NATO.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the foreign ministers would discuss issues relating to NATO on the first day and especially talk about Afghanistan on the second day of the conference.

The meeting would also be attended by Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani, he said, adding the international community would once again renew its pledges of long-term cooperation with Afghanistan in the meeting.

The conference would also review reforms made by the Afghan government, Stoltenberg said, saying international community’s long-term cooperation to Afghanistan was tied to reforms in the Afghan government.

He said the foreign ministers would address some of the security challenges member states faced.

“We will do that by addressing a wide range of the issues but at the core of the meeting is the importance of the transatlantic bond, the bond between Europe and North America.”

He said they would also commit to working more closely to support partners in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. “Our proposals are pragmatic, but ambitious and we will continue to work in this spirit.”

He said the conference would close with a meeting on Afghanistan and the resolute support mission there. Stoltenberg said: “We will reconfirm our strong commitment to Afghanistan’s security and we will get an update on the (Afghan) government’s reform agenda, which is essential for Afghanistan’s long term stability and prosperity.”

mds/ma