MONITORING (SW) – The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the next months are ‘decisive’ for Afghanistan.
He said this addressing online press conference following the second day of the meetings of NATO Defence Ministers. He said the negotiations in Doha are fragile, but they are best chance for peace in a generation, and all Afghans should seize this historic opportunity.
“NATO backs the peace process, and we have adjusted our presence to support it. A few years ago, we had over a hundred thousand troops engaged in combat operations. Now, we have reduced our presence to under 12,000”, he said.
Stoltenberg said NATO decided to go into Afghanistan together; it will make decisions about future adjustments together; and will leave together when the time is right.
He stressed the Taliban must reduce the ‘unacceptable’ levels of violence to pave the way for a ceasefire. “They must break all ties with Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. So that Afghanistan never again serves as a platform for terrorist attacks on our countries. And it is important to preserve the gains made over the last two decades with so much sacrifice. Not least for women and girls, so that peace benefits every Afghan. And is sustainable in the long-term”, the NATO Secretary General added.
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