Road to peace in Afghanistan will be long: NATO

KABUL (Pajhwok): The NATO secretary-general says the only way to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Afghanistan is to have intra-Afghan negotiations, and an Afghan-led peace process.

Speaking at a press conference after the North Atlantic Council meeting at Turkey’s request for consultations on the situation in Syria, Jens Stoltenberg said NATO expressed strong solidarity with Ankara.

On Afghanistan, the NATO chief said “We are closer to a peace agreement than ever before in Afghanistan.”

NATO would continue to support efforts to find a peaceful and negotiated solution, Stoltenberg said.

He added “We have seen a significant reduction in violence in Afghanistan over the last few days, and therefore we are also very close to signing of an agreement between the US and the Taliban.

“And that’s the next step. And the road to peace will be long and hard. And there will be setbacks and there is a risk always for spoilers. But the thing is that we are committed, the Afghan people are committed to peace and we will continue to provide support.”

He promised NATO would continue to support the Afghan security forces with training and funding, to send a clear message to the Taliban that they would never win on the battlefield.

He said. “So we will continue to support them because that’s the best way we can create the conditions for a peaceful, negotiated solution in Afghanistan.

“I also would like to commend the Afghan security forces. Because they have made enormous progress, we have helped them, but they are now on the front line, and they are  providing security for the country and we will continue to provide support because that is the best way to support a peaceful solution.”

The agreement between the Taliban and the USA will is being signed in Doha today of after almost two years of negotiations between the two sides.

Meanwhile, President Ghani’s spokesman said the NATO secretary-general and the US defense secretary are visiting Kabul today (Saturday). They will issue a joint declaration with President Ghani.

jhk/mud

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