NATO to convene defence minsters summit on Afghanistan in Brussels

A day after Russia sponsored a high-level meeting with the ten countries including the "top dignitaries" of the Taliban, NATO announced to hold a summit of defence ministers of the state members to discuss the Afghanistan issue. According to the reports of Khama Press, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed organising a conference during a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The report said that the meeting would be focused on the ongoing terror activities in Afghanistan and ways to stop the terror organisation to use Afghan soil for promoting their vested interests. 

Notably, NATO-- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or Atlantic Alliance -- is an international political and military organization with the aim of guaranteeing the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. It is worth mentioning that the organisation took the lead on international security efforts in Afghanistan in 2003 but ended combat operations in 2014 to focus on training local security forces. It also trained at least three lakh Afghan army forces, however, those forces fled from the country living the country in a state of exile.  

"Taliban are accountable to NATO and their allies in terms of their commitments over addressing terrorism, human rights, and providing a safe route for people to leave Afghanistan," Khaama Press quoted Stoltenberg as saying.

Moscow Format meeting concludes

It is worth mentioning that the announcement came a day after Russia hold a high-level meeting with the ten countries including the "top dignitaries" of the Taliban government on October 20. During the meeting, Kremlin expressed grave concerns over the increasing presence of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan after the Taliban take over. Other than Russia, several other participants including, New Delhi raise concerns over the rising terror activities in the war-torn country. During the meeting, India accused Islamabad spy agencies of supporting anti-India terror groups Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish on Afghan soil.

A joint statement issued after talks stated, "being concerned about the activities of proscribed terrorist organisations in Afghanistan, the sides reaffirmed their willingness to continue to promote security in Afghanistan to contribute to regional stability." Also, the countries raised red flags on the conditions of women in the country. The participant countries also urged the Taliban leaders to take further steps to improve governance. They suggested the all-men government form a truly inclusive government that adequately reflects the interests of all major ethnopolitical forces in the country.

With inputs from ANI

Image: AP