United Kingdom Foreign Secretary visits NATO
On 25 January, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, David Miliband, visited NATO Headquarters and met with the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The meeting took place in the run up to the 28 January London conference on Afghanistan.
Mr. Fogh Rasmussen stressed his hope to see, in London, an agreement on a way forward for transition to Afghan lead security responsibility, adding that this process should begin this year.
But the Secretary General also reminded that along with security and training efforts, sustained progress of development and governance are needed. “It must be a comprehensive approach”, he said, “with better governance, better delivery of services and clear political track.”
“I think it is clear that we are at a decisive moment in the Afghan campaign” said Mr. Miliband. “A new Afghan Government is being formed, a new military strategy is put into practice and the International Community is being rallied on the civilian as well as the military front for a further attempt to establish a degree of stability and security in Afghanistan.”
At the London Conference, the Afghan Government will present a number of initiatives including fighting corruption, reaching out to ordinary Afghans who have fought with the enemies of Afghanistan, and growing the Afghan Security Forces.
“This mission can and will succeed, and 2010 will be a critical year in making that happen. In that context, the London conference is of crucial importance”, concluded the NATO Secretary General.