CHICAGO: The North Atlantic Council has said the countries in the region, particularly Pakistan, have important roles in ensuring enduring peace, stability and security in Afghanistan and in facilitating the completion of the transition process.
The 25th summit of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which is being attended by heads of state and government of over 60 countries, vowed to continue to work with Pakistan to reopen the ground lines of communication as soon as possible.
President Asif Ali Zardari is leading Pakistan's delegation to the summit on an unconditional invitation of the NATO Secretary General.
The NATO, in the declaration issued following the council meeting on Sunday, indicated to continue dialogue and practical cooperation with relevant regional actors in this regard.
"We welcome the progress on transit arrangements with our Central Asian partners and Russia and NATO continues to work with Pakistan to reopen the ground lines of communication as soon as possible," said the declaration.
The heads of state and government renewed their commitment to NATO's operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo and elsewhere.
The NATO also assured important steps on the road to a stable and secure Afghanistan and preventing the country from ever again becoming a safe haven for terrorists that threaten it, the region, and the world.
It also vowed that the irreversible transition of full security responsibility from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) was on track for completion by the end of 2014, as agreed to Lisbon Summit.
By the end of 2014, when the Afghan Authorities will have full security responsibility, the NATO-led combat mission will end.
They assured that the NATO will, however, continue to provide strong and long-term political and practical support through its enduring partnership with Afghanistan and the NATO is ready to work towards establishing, at the request of Afghanistan, a new post-2014 mission of a different nature in Afghanistan, to train, advise and assist the ANSF, including the Afghan Special Operations Forces.
"This will not be a combat mission and we task the council to begin immediately work on the military planning process for the post-ISAF mission," said the declaration.
The NATO also assured that it will play its part alongside other actors in building sufficient and sustainable Afghan forces capable of providing security for their country.
In this context, the NATO called on the international community to commit to this long-term sustainment of the ANSF.
Effective funding mechanisms and expenditure arrangements for all strands of the ANSF will build upon existing mechanisms, integrating the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan and of the international community.
The NATO reiterated the importance allies attach to seeing tangible progress by Afghanistan regarding its commitments made at the Bonn Conference on December 5, 2011 to a democratic society, based on the rule of law and good governance, including progress in the fight against corruption, where the human rights and fundamental freedoms of its citizens, including the equality of men and women and the active participation of both in Afghan society, are respected.
It was of the view that the forthcoming elections must be conducted with full respect for Afghan sovereignty and in accordance with the Afghan Constitution.
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