LOC19:20
16:20 GMT
LONDON, Oct 14 (KUNA) -- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Monday underlined the requirement for the alliance to remain a united force to continue battling against terrorist organizations.
On the sidelines of the meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in London, Stoltenberg stressed in a statement that the alliance should not lose its unity on the war against the so-called Islamic State (IS), considering the Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria.
NATO member states have condemned Turkish military action in Syria, describing it as destabilizing and increasing tension in the region.
Separately, Stoltenberg focused on NATO's role in creating conditions for lasting peace in Afghanistan, in coordination with the central government, which has a greater role in reiterating NATO's commitment in funding and training Afghan forces.
He was satisfied with the positive progress in increasing defense spending over five years, noting that "Our security is the foundation for everything else. We cannot take it for granted, especially as our world becomes more unpredictable and as our challenges grow."
The upcoming NATO summit, to be held in London in December, will mark the alliance's 70th anniversary, in which they will discuss the development of its capabilities for decades to come.
Last Wednesday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that his country's forces launched a military operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its Syria arm, People's Protection Units (YPG), along with so-called IS in Syria, which received worldwide condemnation. (end)
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