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NATO facing difficult dilemma on whether to leave or stay: Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that “no one wants to stay in Afghanistan longer than necessary.”
Addressing an online press conference ahead of the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting, Stoltenberg stated the organization’s training mission continues despite the US’ decision to further reduce troop levels in Afghanistan.
This comes after outgoing US President Donald Trump decided to further reduce American forces in Afghanistan from around 4,000 to 2,500, as part of the Doha deal which was signed between the US and the Taliban in February.
Stoltenberg, meanwhile, stated that the alliance forces would assess their presence in Afghanistan in the next few months.
“In the months ahead, we will continue to assess our presence based on conditions on the ground,” he noted.
“We face a difficult dilemma, whether to leave and risk that Afghanistan becomes once again a safe haven for international terrorists. Or stay, and risk a longer mission, with renewed violence,” he said.
According to the Doha deal, the US should pull all its troops out of Afghanistan by May.
But US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News last week that the full withdrawal remains based on a set of conditions on the ground.
“That was what we’d agreed to. We have made some progress. We’ve had significant prisoner releases. We have violence levels that have reduced risks to Americans significantly over this time period since February of last year,” Pompeo stated.
Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced that Tehran will host a regional meeting on Afghanistan next week.
Referring to Iran’s ongoing consultations with neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region, he said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches fundamental importance to security and stability in our neighboring environment, and in this regard, spares no effort to reduce tensions among regional countries and to strengthen mutual understanding.”
He described the upcoming meeting as the result of consultations held at various levels with neighboring countries and other regional actors, expressing hope that this initiative will play an effective role in enhancing regional cohesion and easing tensions.
According to Baqaei, the regional meeting will take place next week in Tehran, hosted by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and will be attended by special representatives for Afghan affairs from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia.
The European Union has announced €25 million in assistance to the World Food Programme’s Afghanistan office.
According to the EU, the aid will be used to develop climate-resilient projects and strengthen local food systems in Afghanistan.
It will also help create employment opportunities for women and youth, as well as support school nutrition programs.
The EU added that this cooperation will continue to expand opportunities that improve the lives of Afghans.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has denied reports claiming that Afghan dual citizens living abroad are now required to obtain an Afghan visa when returning to their home country.
Zia Ahmad Takal, the ministry’s head of public relations, said in a statement that no new decision has been made in this regard.
According to him, Afghans who travel to Afghanistan with a foreign passport, as before, do not need to obtain a visa if they present proof of their Afghan identity, and they may enter the country without a visa.
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