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Nato chief appeals for Russian support in Afghanistan
BRUSSELS: Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Russia on Wednesday to help the alliance defeat insurgents in Afghanistan by training and equipping Afghan security forces.
Rasmussen, at a press conference in Brussels, also urged Nato's European allies to step up troop contributions in the strife-torn country or risk damaging relations inside the world's biggest military alliance.
'I think we should explore in a joint effort how we could further Russian engagement. We have to find pragmatic ways and means because basically Afghanistan is one of the areas in which we share interests,' he said.
'Russia could provide equipment for the Afghan security forces. Russia could provide training,' he said.
Nato and Russia have already reached an agreement on the transit of non-lethal supplies across Russian territory by rail for the operation in Afghanistan, where Nato is struggling to hold off a Taliban-led insurgency.
Officials have suggested that this deal could be built upon to include other kinds of equipment, and Rasmussen said the agreement should be broadened.
'This transit agreement could be expanded,' he said.
Six years after taking command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, Nato nations are struggling to contain the insurgents, backed by al Qaeda and criminal gangs.
The ISAF commander has recommended a new strategy to beat the insurgency, with protecting the Afghan people as its central pillar, and has called for more resources to carry out that mission.
The strategy, which won the backing Wednesday of Rasmussen, is still being debated in Washington, but US President Barack Obama has already said that more troops will be sent.
Rasmussen said that European allies must also step up.
'There must continue to be a fair balance between what the United States is doing and what the other allies are contributing to this effort,' he said.
'It is important not only for this operation but for the long-term health of the transatlantic alliance that the non-US members find a way to contribute to the mission,' he said.
Failure to do so, he said, 'would be damaging over the long term for Nato.'
The new strategy and resources for it will be the focus for talks between Nato defence ministers in Slovakia on October 22-23.-AFP
DAWN.COM | World | Nato chief appeals for Russian support in Afghanistan
BRUSSELS: Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Russia on Wednesday to help the alliance defeat insurgents in Afghanistan by training and equipping Afghan security forces.
Rasmussen, at a press conference in Brussels, also urged Nato's European allies to step up troop contributions in the strife-torn country or risk damaging relations inside the world's biggest military alliance.
'I think we should explore in a joint effort how we could further Russian engagement. We have to find pragmatic ways and means because basically Afghanistan is one of the areas in which we share interests,' he said.
'Russia could provide equipment for the Afghan security forces. Russia could provide training,' he said.
Nato and Russia have already reached an agreement on the transit of non-lethal supplies across Russian territory by rail for the operation in Afghanistan, where Nato is struggling to hold off a Taliban-led insurgency.
Officials have suggested that this deal could be built upon to include other kinds of equipment, and Rasmussen said the agreement should be broadened.
'This transit agreement could be expanded,' he said.
Six years after taking command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, Nato nations are struggling to contain the insurgents, backed by al Qaeda and criminal gangs.
The ISAF commander has recommended a new strategy to beat the insurgency, with protecting the Afghan people as its central pillar, and has called for more resources to carry out that mission.
The strategy, which won the backing Wednesday of Rasmussen, is still being debated in Washington, but US President Barack Obama has already said that more troops will be sent.
Rasmussen said that European allies must also step up.
'There must continue to be a fair balance between what the United States is doing and what the other allies are contributing to this effort,' he said.
'It is important not only for this operation but for the long-term health of the transatlantic alliance that the non-US members find a way to contribute to the mission,' he said.
Failure to do so, he said, 'would be damaging over the long term for Nato.'
The new strategy and resources for it will be the focus for talks between Nato defence ministers in Slovakia on October 22-23.-AFP
DAWN.COM | World | Nato chief appeals for Russian support in Afghanistan
