NATO-Russia discuss civil, military aid for Afghanistan

BRUSSELS (PAN on the first day of the NATO foreign ministers meeting that starts on Tuesday.

Issues touching on the prevention of narcotic trafficking via Russia, counterterrorism efforts, and supply route for NATO troops through Russia and procurement of helicopters from Russia for Afghan forces would be discussed at the meeting, said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent his country at the Russia-NATO council session.

The two-day high-level meeting kicked off at 2pm of Kabul time in Brussels city of Belgium, where member states of the alliance would discuss a range of issues, including the current security conditions in Afghanistan. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who is in Brussels to attend meetings on the sidelines of the NATO meet, said her country has done a lot to strengthen Afghanistan-Pakistan ties.

Rasmussen welcomed Khar to NATO headquarters to discuss issues of common interest, including stability in Afghanistan.

The secretary-general stressed that NATO and Pakistan shared common interests and faced similar challenges and stressed that Pakistan’s positive engagement was crucial to ensure long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region

He said it was clear that the pursuit of peace and security in Pakistan was in the interest of the broader international community, which includes peace in Afghanistan and where Pakistan has a particular role to play.

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