NATO FMs agree on funding mechanism for Afghan security forces

NATO foreign ministers Wednesday ended two days of meetings after deciding to boost Turkey's air defence capabilities, strengthen cooperation with Russia and develop a funding mechanism for Afghan security forces. Discussions also centered on NATO's cooperation with Georgia, nations in the Western Balkans and global partners. On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministers of the 28-member Alliance agreed to deploy Patriot missiles in Turkey. "Turkey has asked for NATO's support and we stand with Turkey in the spirit of strong solidarity," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a press conference. "To anyone who would want to attack Turkey we say: don't even think about it", he stressed. Discussions on Tuesday included the Alliance's partnerships with countries around the world and how they can be made more effective. The ministerial gathering ended with a meeting of the 50 nations which contribute to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. They were joined by Afghan Foreign Minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul and representatives from Japan, the European Union and the United Nations. The ministers discussed how to make sure the handover of security responsibility to the Afghan forces continues to make steady progress. They also agreed to develop a funding mechanism for the Afghan security forces starting in 2015 as part of broader international support efforts.