Monday October 28, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The NATO Defense Ministers meeting which was held in Brussels reaffirmed alliance’s longstanding cooperation to Afghanistan post-2014.
The Afghan officials strongly welcomed the announcement made by the NATO Defense Minister in Brussels and has said that Afghanistan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will forge a security agreement in the near future.
Addressing the NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels, the Minister of Defense Bismillah Mohammadi said, “It’s expected that Afghanistan and NATO will sign a security agreement after the Loya Jirga (Traditional Grand Assembly) finalized the Afghan-US Bilateral Security Agreement.”
“The security agreement between Afghanistan and NATO doesn’t need holding of a Loya Jirga, the agreement will be approved by parliament, the security agreement hauls major significance to NATO and Afghanistan, Mohammadi added.”
“I strongly believe that NATO and Afghanistan will reach on a security agreement soon and the security agreement between the United States and Afghanistan is in interests of all countries and this should be signed as soon as possible, NATO secretary general Andres Fog Rasmussen said, adding that the security agreement between Afghanistan and NATO will provide clarity to the presence of NATO in the country post-2014.”
The NATO secretary general said that the security agreement provide legality to the deployment of NATO forces in Afghanistan.
In the meantime, security experts have said that the NATO alliance should provide sufficient military arms and ammunitions and training to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) so that the Afghan troops area able to overcome on the security threats effectively by relying on their own power after the timeline set for evacuation of international troops from the country after 2014.
“The Afghan forces are in great need of modern arms and ammunitions, NATO should equip the Afghan forces with latest technology so that Afghan forces tackle security challenges effectively after 2014, security analyst Noorulhaq Ulomi said.”
The people of Afghanistan expect that the security agreements are forged with NATO and the United States in line with the national interests of Afghanistan and protection of the last ten years achievements.
Meanwhile, Afghan people have strongly supported the NATO’s commitments to Afghanistan in the long term period.
“Afghanistan has always been victimized by the neighboring countries, it’s a fact that militants are sent to Afghanistan from across border, if Afghanistan ink security agreement with powerful countries, the neighboring countries will not dare to meddle in Afghanistan internal affairs, retired military officers Sakhi Dad Khan said.”
This came at a time that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) still facing problems in terms of military equipment’s despite a decade long presence of US and NATO forces and international community should focus on the issue.
