MONITORING (SW) – The NATO Secretary General has said there is no guarantee of success for the fragile peace process in Afghanistan.
Jens Stoltenberg said this in an exclusive interview with the DPA. He said the ongoing talks in in Doha between the Afghan government and Taliban is the only path to peace, and NATO strongly support those efforts.
“Whatever we decide, there is a risk. 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. If we stay, of course 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”, he said. He said the Alliance will have a meeting in February with the new Biden administration and then make decisions about future plans in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, NATO urged all parties to the Afghan conflict to build on momentum by agreeing to immediately end violence and by negotiating toward a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.
It said in a statement that the recent agreement between the negotiating teams of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban on the rules and procedures for Afghanistan Peace Negotiations and the first meeting of the Leadership Committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation are important steps toward a comprehensive and lasting peace in Afghanistan, which is the unequivocal demand of the Afghan people.
“We urge the parties to build on this momentum by agreeing to immediately end violence and by negotiating toward a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire and a political roadmap for a prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and its neighbors”, it said in a statement.
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