Coalition Is Prepared for Peace: General Miller

General Austin Scott Miller the Commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan says the Coalition is prepared for peace as well as it will remain firm of supporting the Afghan security forces.

Speaking at the celebration ceremony of 70th years of NATO, Gen. Miller said that he is daily working with the Afghan Defense and Interior Ministers and the Chief of General Staff.

“They are not just partners. They are friends. They are brothers and we remain committed to you. We all remain committed to this mission and we all remain committed to safeguarding the national interest of all of our countries,” Miller said.

At the event, Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah thanked NATO countries for their support to Afghanistan and insisted for more efforts against terrorism.

Meanwhile, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan Ambassador Sir Nicholas Kay emphasized on the importance of relations between NATO and Afghanistan, adding that the Alliance came to Afghanistan to ensure it never become a safe haven for international terrorism.

Ambassador Kay also expressed his optimism regarding the ongoing Afghan peace process but insisted that the gains of the last 17 years are very crucial.

“In 2019, the opportunity for peace is real. Now it is time to end the war at the negotiating table and we are encouraged by the progress that Ambassador Khalilzad has made to date. NATO will continue to do all we can to support the Afghan government and help Afghanistan political leaders to build an inclusive, just, and enduring peace. The next steps now need to be an intra-Afghan dialogue where Afghans agree their terms for peace,” he said.

NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative further said that the Afghan peace process should include all Afghans and “the government must be a central part of it”.

By Hesamuddin Hesam