Afghan peace process fragile: NATO chief

KABUL (Pajhwok): NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the Afghan peace process is fragile, with no guarantee of success.

Any decision by the alliance on the future of its mission in Afghanistan would be risky, he said in a freewheeling interview with DPA.

“If we decide to leave, the risk is that we will lose the gains we have made in fighting international terrorism to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven.”

The 61-year-old politician added: “If we stay, there is the risk that we will see increased fighting, violence, and that we will remain engaged in a long-term military conflict in Afghanistan.”

In response to a query, Stoltenberg believed the ongoing Afghan peace process was fragile, as there was no guarantee of success.

But the negotiations in Doha between the Afghan government and Taliban were the only path to peace, and NATO strongly supported that effort, he said.

In the interview, the NATO chief also spoke on biological weapons and the incoming US administration in addition to the Afghanistan mission.

PAN Monitor/mud

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