Addressing a press conference after the meeting, the alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says he is confident the NATO counties would extend funding to the Afghan Security Forces to 2024 at next month’s Summit.
He said insurgents continued to use violence against innocent civilians but in the face of these challenges, Afghan forces have been doing an outstanding job.
They had been in the lead for three years now and we see the real progress in their ability to conduct offensive operations to develop their Special Forces, Air Force and other capabilities and to deny the Taliban their strategic objectives.
“Our aim is to strengthen the Afghan security forces so they can create the conditions for a peaceful solution. An Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process is essential to a long-term, inclusive political settlement,” he said.
Stoltenberg said President Ghani has made a bold proposal for peace talks and NATO would continue to do all it could to support that process.
“Elections in October will be an important milestone and we encourage the Afghan government to continue along the path of reform to maintain its fight against corruption,” he said.
“To uphold the human rights of all Afghans we also stressed the need for all countries in the region to play a constructive role.”
When asked about the funding level till 2024, NATO secretary general said they have not yet decided on the exact figures or numbers, but “I think that to maintain the same level of support will be natural.”
Stoltenberg recalled NATO’s presence in Afghanistan was a non-combat mission. “We ended our combat mission back in 2015 and since then, the Afghans have been in the lead, they have conducted the combat operations. We have supported them with training, with advice and assistance. And President Ghani and on behalf of the Afghan security forces and army has declared that they will have a unilateral ceasefire and we support his call on Taliban to join this ceasefire.”
What our troops will do is, of course, if they are attacked to respond in self defence, but NATO supports the ceasefire and of course we support that the ceasefire is upholded and respected in the period it is announced.
When asked about the Iran and Russia interference, Stoltenberg said the issue was discussed during the meeting today, the importance of having a regional approach and that all countries in the region have to support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. And, therefore, NATO call on all countries in the region to support the Afghan government, the Afghan government of national unity, in their effort for peace and reconciliation.
nh
Views: 2