NATO Reaffirms Its Firm Support to US Efforts for Afghan Peace

The NATO Allies and partners reaffirmed their firm support to the U.S. continued efforts towards lasting peace in Afghanistan, NATO said in a statement on Wednesday.

The U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Peace Zalmay Khalilzad and the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met at NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (5 June 2019).

Khalilzad briefed all 41 NATO Allies and Resolute Support Mission operational partners on his latest efforts in support for peace in Afghanistan, the statement said.

“Afghanistan remains NATO’s highest operational priority, and together with our operational partners, we remain committed to our goal of ensuring Afghanistan never again becomes a platform to export terrorism,” said the Secretary-General. “Ambassador Khalilzad has created a genuine platform for peace discussions, and this issue is now high up on the agenda of all Afghan political players and Afghan people in general,” he added.

“It is in the interest of our Afghan friends and in the interest of us all that these peace talks succeed. One essential condition for this success is that we are all on the same page and that we all push in the same direction to secure peace,” said Mr. Stoltenberg. He stressed that the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission helps create the conditions for peace, with training and funding for the Afghan security forces.

This comes a day after NATO Allies and partners confirmed their support to the financial sustainment of the Afghan security forces at the plenary meeting of the Afghan National Army Trust Fund Board, held on 04 June at NATO Headquarters.