4 Oct. 2005

North Atlantic Council visits Afghanistan News 05/10/2005 - ISAF NATO Secretary General, North Atlantic Council visit Afghanistan 04/10/2005 - NATO North Atlantic Council to visit Afghanistan Multimedia High resolution photos of the visit of the NAC to Afghanistan Video of the North Atlantic Council's visit to Afghanistan (wmv/1908Kb) Background NATO in Afghanistan The Council, composed of the Permanent Representatives of the 26 NATO countries and the Secretary General, visited Afghanistan, 4 to 6 October, to assess the situation on the ground and demonstrate NATO’s commitment. It met with President Karzai and senior Afghan officials, representatives of the international community, and visited the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The Ambassadors and the Secretary General also travelled to NATO-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams operating in the country’s provinces. A continuing commitment The visit came as NATO is preparing to further expand its presence in Afghanistan, to the South of the country. At present NATO is providing security assistance in about 50% of the country’s territory, in the North and West. The talks also focused on the future of NATO’s support to Afghanistan and pressing issues such as combating drug cultivation and trafficking. The parliamentary elections on 18 September this year brought to a formal conclusion the so-called Bonn process, which has guided the political, security and economic reconstruction of Afghanistan to date. The international community is currently discussing a new framework in order to continue to assist Afghanistan.