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NATO supports Afghan forces to create conditions for peace: Stoltenberg
The NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the best way to create the conditions for peace in Afghanistan is to support, train, assist and advise the Afghan security forces.
Addressing a press conference ahead of NATO’s two-day meeting in Brussels, Tuesday, Jens Stoltenberg reiterated NATO’s support to the efforts to pave the way to a political solution for the Afghan long conflict.
“We fully support the efforts led by the United States to end the conflict and to achieve a peaceful solution. Allies are consulting closely on the way forward,” he said.
The NATO chief added that the best way for NATO to create the conditions for peace is to support, train, assist and advise the Afghan security forces, “So they are able to send a clear message to the Taliban, to terrorists, that they will never win on the battlefield.”
Stoltenberg stressed that the Taliban have to sit down at the negotiating table and make real compromises, reduce violence and engage in an intra-Afghan dialogue to create a lasting peace.
“The Taliban must understand they cannot win on the battlefield. They must commit to a reduction in violence, and show that they are genuinely committed to a peaceful future for Afghanistan,” he noted.
Meanwhile, he said NATO has no plan for a long stay in Afghanistan, stressing its mission is to create the conditions for peace and to enable the Afghan security forces to protect themselves without our help.
“We had a big combat operation – more than 130,000 troops. Now we are that with 16,000 troops training and helping the Afghans so that they can fight terrorism themselves. And our aim is not to stay in these countries forever. Our aim is to enable these countries to stabilize their own country,” he said.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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