Will stay as long as necessary in Afghanistan: NATO

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): NATO Sir Nicholas Kay on Monday called on Afghan presidential candidates and political parties to observe all election rules.

During a visit to Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, the NATO SCR also said that intra-Afghan talks would start soon.

Kay said the aim of his trip to Balkh was to show that NATO still supported Afghan security forces as they did in the past.

NATO member countries would stay in Afghanistan until the Afghans needed them, he asserted, adding that foreign forces would ensure security for the September 28 presidential election jointly with Afghan forces.

“We will stay in Afghanistan until we are assured that this country would not be used as a shelter for terrorists,” Kay said.

The Afghan conflict would be finally solved with peace and political settlement, he believed.

He said that negotiations with the Taliban had been temporary suspended and hoped intra-Afghan talks would start soon.

NATO forces would help Afghan forces in areas of equipment, training until the way was paved to peace, he said, adding the international community and NATO supported transparent and just election in Afghanistan.

“Afghans do not want to experience frauds in election again,” the diplomat said. He hoped new leadership in the Independent Election Commission (IEC), usage of biometric system and presence of foreign observers in election commissions would help ensure transparency in the presidential election.

He voiced on candidates and political parties to observe all election rules. “Afghans are going to the election at a difficult situation and their decision should be respected.” Kay concluded that the Taliban would never achieve their goals by war.

mds/ma

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