NATO Committed to Afghanistan, Waiting for Afghan Transparent Election Results: SG

NATO Secretary-General says that the organization is committed to Afghanistan and will wait for transparent election results.

NATO Secretary-General says that the organization is committed to Afghanistan and will wait for transparent election results.
Ahead of NATO Defense Ministerial meeting, SG Jens Stoltenberg briefed reporters Wednesday in Brussels about the Afghan presidential election, peace process, counter-terrorism and the presence of foreign forces in the country.

Speaking about the peace process, the SG said that NATO supports the resumption of peace talks between the US and the Taliban, but this time the Taliban must show a real willingness to peace and reconciliation.
“We strongly believe that a strong commitment of our military presence is the best way to provide the framework, the basis, for a political solution,” he emphasized.

On the part of the election, Mr Stoltenberg said that the Afghan election needs transparency and credibility.
“We need to let the election bodies to do their work,” he stressed.

Talking about counter-terrorism issue, he underlined that Afghanistan is also part of NATO’s global mission against Daesh and we don’t want Daesh to be re-established in Afghanistan.
“It is important that we safeguard the gains we have made together against ISIS,” he added.

On the part of Foreign Forces in Afghanistan, Mr Stoltenberg said that there were some ups and down in troop levels but the US and NATO are still committed to Afghanistan.
“We went into Afghanistan together, we will make decisions on our future presence there together and when the time is right, then we will also leave together,” NATO chief added.

In a Defense Ministerial meeting expected to be held on Thursday and Friday in Brussels, NATO allies will discuss training mission in Iraq, stress commitment to the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan and the situation in Syria.