NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called on the US to involve the Afghan government in peace talks with the radical Islamic Taliban. In his view, this must happen „as quickly as possible,“ said Stoltenberg today at the conclusion of the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
With a view to a possible US troop reduction, Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO had jointly decided on their Afghanistan mission and would also „make decisions about the future of the mission together“.
„NATO stands by the mission“
US President Donald Trump wants to pull off about half of the 14,000 US troops currently stationed in Afghanistan, which form the backbone of the NATO mission Resolute Support. Without sufficient US support, and especially Washington’s air and transport capabilities, NATO deployment is unlikely to continue.
NATO stood by the mission, said Stoltenberg. He pointed out that the Heads of State and Government promised only last July at their summit that they wanted to finance it until 2024.
Peace Treaty for Afghanistan „to July“
In Afghanistan, there will only be a peace solution if the Alliance sends a clear message to the Taliban „that they will never win on the battlefield,“ said the NATO Secretary General. In Afghanistan’s reconciliation process, the Kabul government must play a „key role“ at the same time.
The US is currently negotiating directly with the radical Islamic Taliban. US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad briefed NATO and Partners on Resolute Support on Monday. Last week, Khalilzad said he hopes for a peace treaty for Afghanistan until the elections scheduled for July.
