NATO FMs reviewing progress in Afghan mission

BRUSSELS (PAN nations began in Brussels on Tuesday. Representatives from the United Nations and the European Union are also in attendance.

The alliance and its international partners will deliberate on how to support Afghan forces after 2014, when NATO’s combat role is scheduled to end.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Zalmai Rassoul and representatives from the United Nations and the European Union are also in attendance.

Ahead of the meeting, the NATO secretary-general said: “Today, I expect we will agree to launch Phase Two of our Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund, which will expand the training of Afghan maintenance crews. This would be a significant step.”

Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters they would assess progress in the Afghan mission together with our ISAF partners. He hoped the participants would endorse efforts to develop coherent and effective funding for the Afghan forces after 2014.

The ministers will discuss the significant milestone expected later this year, when Afghan forces take the lead for security across the country.

Pakistani leaders will meet American officials on the regional situation, especially the future of Afghanistan, said a spokesman for the Foreign Office in Islamabad.

As part of high-level trilateral consultations, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani will meet President Hamid Karzai and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Matters relating to peace and stability and national reconciliation in Afghanistan would be discussed, he said, adding Pakistan had consistently endeavored to facilitate an Afghan-led peace process.

“Pakistan is convinced that a peaceful, stable, prosperous and united Afghanistan is in the interest of the region,” the spokesman said.

On Monday, Faizi said Afghanistan’s patience with Pakistan was running out on the issue of cooperation with the flagging reconciliation campaign. He accused Pakistan of failing to take practical steps to boost the peace drive.

Political analyst Mohammad Hassan Haqyar, meanwhile, told Pajhwok Afghan News the three-way talks represented a new US effort at repairing the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship.

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