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Stoltenberg says NATO facing a difficult choice over Afghanistan
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Belgian Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder met at NATO headquarters Thursday to discuss a number of issues including the future of NATO’s presence in Afghanistan.
According to a statement issued by NATO, Stoltenberg said NATO faces a difficult choice: Stay and face a continued military engagement or leave and risk that Afghanistan again becomes a safe haven for terrorists.
“The Taliban must honour their commitments: reduce violence and cut ties to terror groups. Instead we see unacceptable levels of violence by the Taliban, including against doctors, judges and journalists,” he said.
“We went into Afghanistan to prevent another 9/11. We have done that. Whatever path we now choose, we must ensure Afghanistan is never again a base for terrorism,” he added.
Stoltenberg and Dedonder also discussed the upcoming NATO Defense Ministers meeting, scheduled for February 17 and 18, where a decision on NATO’s future in Afghanistan is expected to be made.
This comes after Stoltenberg earlier voiced his concern over the high level of violence.
Addressing a press conference earlier this month Stoltenberg indicated that US and NATO would decide together on when to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
He said “so, we will make the assessment together, we will make the decision together, and this will be one of the most important topics that will be discussed when we have a NATO Defense Ministerial meeting later this month and decisions will be made.”
This comes amid growing speculation that the US might not withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by the 1 May deadline as per the agreement signed with the Taliban in February last year.
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Afghanistan expresses condolences over deadly gas facility blast in Qatar
At least thirteen people were killed and 66 people injured after an explosion at Qatar’s core LNG processing site of Ras Laffan on Sunday, Energy Minister Saad al-Kaab said on Monday.
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Qatar embassy holds roundtable on Afghanistan’s relations with international community
The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Kabul held a roundtable discussion on Afghanistan’s relations with the international community, bringing together representatives from the United Nations and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting was attended by Georgette Gagnon, Acting Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs, as well as Scott Smith, Head of UNAMA’s Political Affairs Division.
The Afghan side was represented by Zakir Jalaly, Head of the Second Political Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Abdul Hai Qanit, Director of the Strategic Studies Center at the ministry.
According to a statement issued by the Qatari Embassy, discussions focused on the future of Afghanistan’s relations with the international community and explored ways to support and strengthen those ties.
The roundtable reflects ongoing diplomatic efforts to encourage dialogue and engagement on Afghanistan’s international relations amid evolving regional and global dynamics.
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Belgium issues visas to IEA delegation for EU meeting
Belgium said on Monday it had issued five visas to an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) delegation to attend an EU meeting on migration in Brussels, in what would be the first time the EU has hosted the IEA since it returned to power in Afghanistan five years ago.
The visas are restricted in both geographical scope and duration, allowing travel only to Belgium and for a single day, a Belgian foreign ministry spokesperson said, adding that the date of the visit would not be disclosed for security reasons.
Two European officials said the delegation had been granted one-day visas valid only on Tuesday, June 23, Reuters reported.
The Commission last month invited IEA officials to Brussels to discuss deportations of Afghan migrants.
The Commission said the meeting is technical and does not constitute recognition of IEA rule.
“Member States are looking into ways to return persons who have committed serious crimes and who are possibly a security threat. So this is the initiative that the Commission is now following up on,” Commission spokesman Markus Lammert told the EU’s daily press briefing on Monday.
According to a letter seen by Reuters and addressed to Abdul Qaher Balkhi, an Afghan foreign ministry spokesman, it will focus on “the return and readmission of Afghan nationals without a right to stay in the European Union”.
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