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NATO foreign ministers to discuss troops presence and peace process
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that the ongoing peace talks are the best way to preserve the hard-won achievements of the last two decades in Afghanistan.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting, scheduled for 23 and 24 March in Brussels, Stoltenberg stated: “The ongoing peace talks are the best way to preserve the gains made over the last two decades, and to ensure a stable Afghanistan that will not serve as a safe haven for terrorists.”
Stoltenberg added that NATO Ministers will continue consultations on the situation in Afghanistan, its military presence, and will “assess our next steps together.”
He stressed that there are no easy choices and “for now, all options remain open.”
“The security situation is difficult. And we will take all the necessary measures to keep our troops safe,” Stoltenberg said.
He reiterated that the organization strongly supports efforts to infuse fresh energy into the peace process.
“This requires all parties to work to achieve progress. To reduce the high levels of violence. And to negotiate in good faith,” he said.
“It also requires constructive engagement from all regional actors and the international community,” Stoltenberg said.
This comes ahead of a summit on the Afghan peace process that will be held next month in Turkey’s Istanbul, where all sides involved in the process are expected to discuss the US proposed peace deal including the formation of a “participatory government.”
Two people have been killed amid protests against a poppy eradication campaign in northeastern Badakhshan province, local officials said.
Authorities said counter-narcotics forces were deployed on Friday to Atan Jalo area of Argo district to destroy poppy fields. Clashes erupted after a number of farmers and residents reportedly attempted to block the operation.
Officials said a child was killed during Friday’s unrest, while another person died on Saturday as protests and tensions continued in the area.
According to local authorities, demonstrators also temporarily blocked the Kishm–Faizabad highway, disrupting traffic for several hours before it was reopened following coordinated efforts by security officials, religious scholars, and community elders.
Officials blamed “drug traffickers and criminal groups” for inciting the unrest and said security forces have since regained control of the area.
A high-ranking Uzbek delegation comprising government officials and private sector representatives from the Republic of Karakalpakstan arrived in Kabul on Saturday to discuss the expansion of trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
The delegation is headed by Amanbay Orinbayev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the delegation is expected to hold talks with Nooruddin Azizi, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations.
The ministry said the visiting delegation will also participate in trade connectivity meetings and business-to-business sessions aimed at enhancing commercial cooperation between the two sides.
As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation is also scheduled to travel to Balkh province, where members will attend additional trade meetings and inaugurate an exhibition showcasing Uzbekistan’s domestic products.
Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, has expressed concern over recent developments along the Durand Line, saying Pakistan has increased military and economic pressure on villages and residents living near the line.
In a statement, Karzai said the apparent purpose of these pressures is to push residents of Durand Line areas to seek help from Pakistani institutions for resolving security and other local issues.
He added that, amid this situation, some tribal elders from both sides of the Durand Line recently signed documents described as “peace agreements,” which were later officially welcomed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Karzai, these developments amount to an effort by Pakistan to legitimize the Durand Line and represent an action against Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.
The former Afghan president also urged the relevant Afghan authorities to provide the public with a clear explanation regarding the recent agreements and developments along the Durand Line.
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