BRUSSELS, June 25 (KUNA) -- NATO Foreign Ministers and their counterparts from ISAF partner countries met with the Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Ershad Ahmadi here Wednesday afternoon and reviewed progress in the ISAF mission, took stock of the ongoing election process and finalised operational plans for the launch of a new NATO-led mission.
"In six months' time, our ISAF combat mission will be completed. Afghan troops and police will be fully responsible for security across the country," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a press conference after the meeting.
"The electoral process must run its course in a timely manner. Any allegations of irregularities should be addressed through the proper channels. And both candidates should play a constructive and responsible role," he said.
"Our goal is to launch a new mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces from the start of next year. Today, we endorsed the detailed operational plan for that new mission, called Resolute Support. But it is the Afghans who must take the next step. The necessary security agreements must be signed soon. Otherwise, we will not be able to keep any troops in Afghanistan from next year," Rasmussen added.
Ministers reconfirmed their commitment to provide funding to sustain the Afghan security forces, while making clear that the Afghan authorities must also live up to their commitment to tackle corruption and to contribute an increasing amount to the funding of their own forces.
On his part, Ahmadi told a separate press conference that this was "a very constructive and historic meeting because this is the last meeting of NATO and ISAF ministers before the NATO summit in Wales in September.
"We took stock of the progress that we have made in Afghanistan, which is going through an unprecedented political transition," he said noting the holding of the second round of presidential elections recently.
"We have seen a number of difficulties in finalising the result of the second round and I briefed the foreign ministers on what the government is trying to do ensure that Afghan electoral institution carry on with their work," said the young Afghan minister.
"Both candidates are re-engaging with the election commission with the support of the UN to resolve the difficulties that we are facing," he said.
Ahmadi said that the inaugural ceremony for the new president is expected to be held on August 2nd, adding that "we are confident that it will happen." He said that as soon as a new government is in place, Afghanistan will sign the bilateral security agreement with the US and the status of forces agreement with NATO, which provides a framework for the new Alliance mission. (end) nk.hb