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NATO chief urges more efforts for Afghanistan

Published: 19/02/2009 05:00

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NATO Secretary General Jaapde Hoop Scheffer on Thursday asked the allies to make more efforts in Afghanistan, saying it cannot afford the price of failure.

Norway’s Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen (L) chats with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates (R) during the NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Cracow. NATO called Thursday for a “civilian surge” in Afghanistan to boost reconstruction and help spread democracy as the military alliance battles to overcome a Taliban-led insurgency.
(Xinhua Photo)

“We cannot afford the price of failure in Afghanistan. Instability in an already highly unstable region, a safe haven for international terrorism, and massive suffering for the Afghan people is simply too much to accept,” he told a press conference at an informal meeting of NATO defense ministers.

He asked European allies to do more in Afghanistan to balance new U.S. pledges to send in 17,000 additional troops. The other allies should not lean back and wait for the United States to bring in more forces. They also have to live up to their commitments and expectations, he said.

De Hoop Scheffer also asked allies to provide more civilian assistance to Afghanistan: on development, governance and institution building. “It is not only a matter of more forces in Afghanistan, we need an equal ’civilian surge’ as well,” he said.

He argued that the problems in Afghanistan needs a comprehensive approach. “We should not be under any illusion there is a military solution.”

De Hoop Scheffer said the defense ministers emphasized the need to engage with Afghanistan’s neighbors. “Afghanistan is not an island. Extremism, terrorism and narcotics are plaguing the region and the region will need to be more engaged in the solution,” he said.

The NATO chief said the ministers agreed to give priority to the provision of security for the Aug. 20 presidential elections in Afghanistan.

NATO defense ministers devoted their talks on Thursday primarily on its mission in Afghanistan, the largest operation in the alliance’ 60-year history.

They also agreed to enhance support for the Afghan national army and the national police.

Afghan national army force level will reach 86,000 by the end of March 2009, well ahead of schedule, said NATO spokesman James Appathurai. The ultimate force level will be 134,000 by 2010, two years ahead of schedule.

The ministers are considering whether NATO should expand its role in supporting the Afghan national police, whose development has not been as successful as the army because of, primarily, corruption.

The ministers are considering whether NATO, which has up to now been in a support role in police training, should take a direct role, such as paramilitary training, said Appathurai.

The defense ministers agreed to carry out another anti-piracy naval operation off the coast of Somalia, said de Hoop Scheffer.

“You can expect to see another, what we call, Standing NATO Maritime Group off the coast of Somalia in the coming months, contributing to the overall international (anti-piracy) effort,” he told a press conference.

He said, however, details of the operation remain to be worked out. The ships will be from the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, which consists of six warships, he said.

NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romero said the NATO anti-piracy mission will be carried out during the group’s trip to the Indian Ocean, in the coming months. The group, as well as another group of standing maritime assets, make port visits in various parts of the world and hold joint exercises with navies of NATO member states or partner countries to test interoperability.

De Hoop Scheffer said piracy may go up off the Somali coast as the Mansoon season is coming to the end.

NATO carried out its first anti-piracy mission off Somalia between October and December 2008. Four NATO warships were deployed, resulting in the safe delivery of 30,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Somalia by the World Food Program. The NATO vessels also conducted deterrence patrols in the area most susceptible to criminal acts against merchant shipping.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

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