NATO to remain in Afghanistan after 2016
NATO "Resolute Support" mission in Afghanistan will be preserved
beyond 2016, a decision on the forces remaining in the country will
be made in the coming months, Sputnik International news agency
quoted the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as saying
July 9.
"We took three decisions today. First, we agreed to sustain our
'Resolute Support' mission beyond 2016. Additional planning will be
conducted in the coming months to define our overall presence in
2017. Third, we reaffirmed our support for a long-term political
partnership and practical cooperation with Afghanistan,"
Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO summit underway in Warsaw.
NATO intends to leave nearly 12,000 soldiers in Afghanistan in 2017, RIA Novosti reported citing Stoltenberg.
In turn, Afghanistan pledged to NATO to continue reforms in exchange for the assistance provided by the alliance.
The Afghan government has strongly expressed its commitment to work on observance of human rights, including women's rights and fight against corruption, Stoltenberg told reporters.
--
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz