As May 1 deadline of withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan draws near, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that all options remain open.
“There are no easy choices, and for now, all options remain open,” Stoltenberg said in a press conference ahead of the alliance’s foreign ministerial meeting.
He said that ministers will continue consultations on the situation in Afghanistan and NATO’s military presence “to assess our next steps together.”
Stoltenberg said that the security situation is difficult and “we will take all the necessary measures to keep our troops safe.”
“We strongly support efforts to infuse fresh energy into the peace process. This requires all parties to work to achieve progress, to reduce the high levels of violence, and to negotiate in good faith. It also requires constructive engagement from all regional actors and the international community,” Stoltenberg said.
He said that the ongoing peace talks are the “best way to preserve the gains made over the last two decades, and to ensure a stable Afghanistan that will not serve as a safe haven for terrorists.”
