Press Release (2004)106 28 June 2004

Statement by the NATO Secretary General Events NATO Istanbul Summit Issues NATO in Afghanistan 28/06/2004 Factsheet with map I am pleased to announce that the North Atlantic Council authorised the Supreme Allied Commander, General James Jones, to initiate the further expansion of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. This expansion will include in the near future the United Kingdom-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Mazar-I-Sharif and Meymana, the German-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Feyzabad and the Netherlands-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Baghlan. ISAF already commands a PRT in Kunduz. These five PRTs are part of a progressive process in accordance with the previous decision by the North Atlantic Council to expand ISAF in a flexible manner to include other PRTs in the future. The North Atlantic has also authorised SACEUR to establish near Mazar-I-Sharif a Forward Support Base (a logistics hub) and temporary satellite presences in Sar-e-Pol, Samangan and Sherberghan, as well as to continue the necessary preparations for election support and for further expansion. Tel: Fax: +32 (0)2 707 50 41 +32 (0)2 707 50 57 B-1110 Brussels/Bruxelles http://www.nato.int press@hq.nato.int