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NATO: All sides should act urgently to “lower violence and work towards peace”
The statement says, “We call urgently upon Afghanistan’s political leaders and their supporters to come together to resolve their differences and form an inclusive government.”
It adds that the current level of violence caused by the Taliban is not acceptable and calls on the Taliban to urgently reduce violence and create the conditions conducive to commence negotiations.
Also, NATO calls on the Taliban to fulfill its commitments to ensure that terrorists never again find a safe haven on Afghan soil.
Through the statement, NATO welcomes the establishment of an inclusive negotiating team to represent the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and urges the Taliban to enter negotiations with this team without further delay, which is considered a key element of the U.S.-Taliban agreement.
“We expect these negotiations to lead to an enduring and comprehensive peace agreement that puts an end to violence, safeguards the human rights of all Afghans, including women and children, upholds the rule of law, and ensures that Afghanistan never again serves as a safe haven for terrorists,” the statement reads.
NATO in the statement encourages the Afghan government and the Taliban to demonstrate goodwill by accelerating the release of prisoners, as a confidence-building measure and to embrace the international community’s call for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire.
It underlines that the continued spread of the Coronavirus needs the urgency of such measures and so, the Taliban should do its part to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
The statement concludes reaffirming NATO’s longstanding commitment to Afghanistan and the Afghan security forces, noting “NATO and its partners have fought shoulder-to-shoulder in pursuit of security and stability.”