NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed, after a meeting of defence ministers, that the Alliance would remain in Afghanistan as long as necessary, while a peace process for the country is under way. A new round of negotiations between US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban will be held in Doha on 29 June.
"We will stay in Afghanistan for as long as necessary, to ensure the country never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorists", he told the press. "We will maintain our commitment, continue to provide forces for training and money for security", he added, conceding that the objective was not to stay as long as possible, but rather to train Afghan forces.
Since 2015, NATO's Resolute Support Mission has been advising and assisting Afghan forces. Sixteen thousand troops from 39 Allied and Partner countries are on the ground.
At their meeting, the Allies also supported the efforts of the US Special Envoy. "Our best way to support this effort is to remain committed, to send a clear message to the Taliban that they will not win", Stoltenberg said. "Afghan forces are now able to gain territory. By continuing to train and support them, we are creating the conditions for peace on the battlefield", he added.
Although the Alliance as such is not involved in the negotiations, Mr Stoltenberg said that Mr Kalilzad regularly consults with the Allies and that they remain in close contact with him. According to Mr Stoltenberg, these negotiations "are extremely important because they bring us closer than ever to a peace deal", while specifying that this did not mean that there would be such a deal yet. "Although many challenges remain in Afghanistan, we now have a unique opportunity to build peace", he said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)