BRUSSELS (SW): The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has acknowledged that situation in Afghanistan is difficult and that is why NATO is there to train, assist and advise the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces (ANSDF).
He said this while briefing the press after the foreign ministers of NATO member states met with Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani to discuss NATO’s presence in Afghanistan. Stoltenberg said that NATO’s commitments to Afghanistan’s security are strong and steadfast. “At our Warsaw Summit, we agreed to sustain Resolute Support beyond 2016, to continue national funding of the Afghan Security Forces through 2020, and to work on our long-term political partnership and practical cooperation with Afghanistan”, he recalled.
Responding to a question asked by the Salam Watandar Correspondent, Stoltenberg noted that the Afghan Foreign Minister briefed the meeting on the establishment of electoral commission and the work to have elections in his country. “We are working with Afghanistan to modernize government institutions, he said, adding that work is also underway with the broader international community on reforms and on building stronger democratic institutions in Afghanistan.
He underlined that the Afghan Security Forces have taken many casualties, but are defending the Afghan people with determination and courage and combating the enemy across the country. “This year alone there have been eight major attempts to seize cities, all have failed. NATO will continue to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces through our Resolute Support Mission”, Stoltenberg stressed.
Responding to another question, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reminded that there are about 13,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, and the aim of this mission is to help Afghans develop capacity to defend and stabilize their own country. We have not made any decision on how long we will stay there [in Afghanistan] with our mission, what we have decided is to continue to fund them [Afghan forces] to 2020”, he said.
NATO reviews its mission in Afghanistan on yearly basis.
On his part, Foreign Minister Rabbani expressed Afghanistan’s appreciation for the continued support from the international community. He briefed NATO members on his country’s ongoing reforms, which are linked to that support. “It is essential that Afghanistan continues to pursue reforms and improve governance, to fight corruption, protect human rights and advance the peace process, he said.
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