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NATO says will protect Afghans, troops from 'Pakistani militants'

NATO says it will protect its troops and Afghans from militants based across the border in Pakistan.

Reuters May 24, 2011

KABUL: NATO will protect its troops and Afghans from militants based across the border in Pakistan, the NATO chief said on Tuesday, reiterating pledges by the United States to target insurgents there who have escalated attacks since Osama bin Laden's death.

"It is well known that there is cross-border activity and it... (is) a problem and a security challenge," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters in Kabul after talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

"We will take all necessary measures to protect the Afghan people and our own troops," he said of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), whose war against the Taliban in Afghanistan has dragged on for 10 years.

Rasmussen's words echoed comments by US President Barrack Obama and US Senator John Kerry, a Democrat close to his administration, who have both said the United States would consider all options in hunting out senior militants in Pakistan after killing al Qaeda leader bin Laden in a secret raid on May 2.

Karzai called on Pakistan for help "to cooperate with us seriously and by all means, in order to eliminate terrorism and its training bases".

The Taliban's launch this month of its "spring offensive", and escalating violence in Pakistan, are raising questions about NATO plans to hand over all security to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.

'Peace plans can only be settled by Afghans'

Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, in Kabul on Tuesday ahead of the latest round of trilateral talks with the United States, stressed that Afghan peace plans "can only be settled by Afghans".

"The United States and Pakistan... support the efforts for peace and reconciliation ... We will make an effort to provide our assistance," Bashir said in a statement.

Trilateral talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States, aimed at fostering stability, were last held in Islamabad a day after bin Laden's death and will be held on Wednesday in Kabul.

Pakistan is seen as a key player in any peace plans in Afghanistan. The United States and NATO have reluctantly backed a plan by Karzai to negotiate with Taliban leaders and forge reconciliation.

COMMENTS (2)

AMJAD | 13 years ago | Reply Commanders of NATO forces must appreciate that cross border movement is taking place on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border. We have a 1200 KM long mountainous border which is extremely difficult to be manned. It will be helpful to both sides if this border is fenced and reinforced with monitoring devices. Like NATO forces, Pakistan is also suffering at the hands of those Taliban who are being patronized by RAW and Afghan Intelligence. Border fencing will help both sides. US and NATO should use their influence on Afghan Government and also supplement Pakistan's resources for fencing. If all the parties involved in the conflict are sincere in bringing enduring peace to Afghanistan then they must realize that it can never happen without Pakistan's active involvement. Afghanistan should have friendly relations with all its neighbour even with India which is not its immediate neighbour. In order to keep this region free of violence and proxi-wars, Afghanistan and US must ensure that Afghanistan's distant neighbour are not allowed to have excessive presence and should not be allowed to influence the policy formulation process. Afghans should also realize that their destiny is linked with Pakistan. Having brotherly relations with Pakistan will usher a new era of trade and economic activity bringing much needed prosperity to both the nations. It will be fruitful if Afghanistan and Pakistan work out a joint strategy to fight the menace of terrorism. Tomorrow US may decide to quit leaving Afghanistan and Pakistan to face the aftermath of this war. Before we are confronted with such a situation, Pakistan and Afghanistan must iron out their differences to work in tandem with each other.

Chilli | 13 years ago | Reply NATO works behind poor Afghan Army...They are always afraid of death and will only kill civillians in the name of protection...

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