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Talking to reporters at a joint press conference with Afghan
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in Kabul at the Presidential Palace, the NATO
chief said that the alliance is committed to continuing its support to Afghan
security forces and the Afghan people.
"NATO is determined to see Afghanistan succeed, that's why
around 16,000 troops from 39 countries serve in our resolute support mission,
together we train, advise and assist the Afghan forces, as we work to make
this country safer and more secure," Stoltenberg said.
He also called upon the Taliban outfit to give up fighting and
join the government-initiated peace talks to boost national reconciliation
and bring to an end of the lingering conflict in the insurgency-plagued
Afghanistan, saying Taliban should understand they can't win the war.
"The potential for peace is great now than was in the past
many years, so we need an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and it
must be inclusive," Stoltenberg went on to say.
Expressing support to the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace
process, the NATO chief said he wants regional countries to help the Afghans
in achieving peace in their country.
He said that NATO had decided to boost its presence and send
more advisors to Afghanistan as the United States did to reduce Afghan
forces' losses.
The NATO chief also stated that the alliance is here to help the
Afghans and to save the alliance member states from terrorist attacks.
Speaking at the press conference, President Ghani expressed his
gratitude to NATO for its support and said that Afghan Security and Defense
forces is no more dependent but rather a partner to the alliance in the war
on terror.
"The people of Afghanistan wants peace and the lasting
peace can be achieved through regional cooperation and the world," he
said.
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Source: NDO