NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L) and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani attend a joint press conference in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Nov. 6, 2018. Visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured the military alliance's firm support to Afghanistan's security forces here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)
KABUL, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured the military alliance's firm support to Afghanistan's security forces here on Tuesday.
Talking to reporters at a joint press conference with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani here 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.
