NATO Begins Negotiation On Post-2014 SOFA In Afghanistan
KABUL: (MEP) -NATO has begun negotiating a Status of Forces Agreement with Afghanistan without waiting until the government of Afghanistan signs the security deal with the US. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed that negotiations have begun between NATO senior civilian representative Maurits Jochems and Afghan national security advisor Rangeen Dadfar Spanta.
“I welcome the start of these talks today…. While stressing that the NATO Status of Forces Agreement will not be concluded or signed until the signature of the Bilateral Security Agreement between the government of Afghanistan and the United States,” Rasmussen said in a statement. NATO’s chief added that SOFA is vital for NATO’s “mission to train, advice and assist” the Afghan army and police after 2014.
The alliance’s decision demonstrates “The international community’s willingness to support Afghanistan after 2014,” Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.” But, as both the NATO Secretary General and Secretary Hagel have made clear, the Alliance won’t finalize their agreement with the Bilateral Security Agreement still hanging in the balance.” A status of forces agreement establishes the rights and privileges of foreign personnel in a host country and usually comes as part of a broader security arrangement, BNA reported, BNA reported.
NATO’s declared objective in Afghanistan for 84,000 soldiers, 60,000 of whom are Americans “is to enable the Afghan authorities to provide effective security across the country and ensure that the country can never again be a safe haven for terrorists.” The alliance plans to leave a training and advisory mission, expected to number 8,000 to 12,000 soldiers after 2014. For months the US had been negotiating the signing of the security agreement with Afghanistan. But so far President Karzai has been stalling the process saying it can wait for the presidential elections in April 2014 and should depend of US willingness to help restart a peace process with the Taliban and stopping raids on Afghan homes. NATO starts negotiating its forces’ status in Afghanistan for post 2014.
