NATO FMs to discuss Afghanistan, prepare for next summit

NATO foreign ministers during their meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (tomorrow) and Wednesday will focus on the themes and the objectives for the NATO summit to be held in South Wales, UK, on 4-5 September in 2014. The ministers will discuss "how we can learn from operations and partnership of the past decade to look to the future," Oana Lungescu, NATO spokesperson, told journalists here today. Ministers of the 28 member Alliance will further look at partnerships and how to maintain connections with partners. EU High Representative Catherine Ashton has been invited for this session. On Wednesday, the NATO - Russia Council will meet and exchange views with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on issues of common interest like Afghanistan and Syria. This will be followed by a meeting of NATO foreign ministers with their counterparts from countries contributing troops to ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Afghan interior minister Umar Daudzai and acting Afghan foreign minister Zarar Ahmad Moqbel Osmani have been invited. Japanese foreign minister Hirofumi Nakasone has also been invited because of Tokyo's support to the Afghan national security forces. Meanwhile, senior NATO officials told journalists here today that NATO ministers will discuss the next phase in relations with Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces by 31 December 2014. With Lavrov, NATO ministers will discuss Syria and the destruction of its chemical weapons, Afghanistan, and missile defence. ISAF military commanders will brief the ministers progress made by Afghan security forces and discuss the transit process. They will also talk about the preparations and security arrangements for the elections next year. The issue of Afghan Trust Fund for the financing of the Afghan national forces beyond 2014 and the UN law and order fund for the Afghan police will also be discussed. Afghanistan security forces will need USD 4.1 billion per year of funding for the 320,000 Afghan soldiers. Out of this amount the Afghan government will contribute USD 500 million and the rest has to come from donors. The NATO officials speaking on condition of anonymity stressed that NATO's advise, train and assist mission beyond 2014 in Afghanistan must have a sound and legal system. NATO is currently holding talks with Afghan officials on the NATO status of forces agreement. The NATO mission after 2014 is linked to the signing of the US-Afghan security agreement, clarified the sources. If there is no security deal between Afghanistan and the US there will be no agreement between NATO and Afghanistan and no new NATO mission, they stressed. If there is an agreement with Afghanistan, NATO might leave behind between 8 to 12,000 troops in Afghanistan after 2014 for the training mission. But no decision has been taken as yet. The sources said the current blockade by demonstrators in Pakistan of NATO supply trucks for ISAF troops in Afghanistan is not affecting NATO operations in Afghanistan. The sources described the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Kabul yesterday as" a positive step." The sources said that difficulties in cooperation with the Mediterranean Dialogue countries due to the Israeli participation has been overcome after Turkey reportedly lifted is veto. The Dialogue has had some difficulties related with the Middle East peace process,they noted. Cooperation with the four Gulf countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE which are members of NATO'S Istanbul Cooperation Initiative is progressing well, noted the sources. The sources did not rule out that the issue of the current situation in Ukraine and Iran's nuclear issue could be raised with Lavrov. NATO welcomes any deal between Iran and the 5+1 group to resolve the nuclear issue, they noted.