Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas participated today in the Joint Session of the Foreign and Defence Ministers of NATO, during which the developments and prospects of the Alliance’s mission in Afghanistan and NATO’s Deterrence and Defence Posture Review were discussed in depth.
The discussions focused on the process of transition of security responsibility to the Afghan armed forces within 2013, in order for ISAF to complete its mandate by 2014. To this avail, special emphasis is given to training and further developing the capabilities of the Afghan forces, as well as to the process of reintegration and reconciliation and the protection of human rights.
During his intervention, the Foreign Minister outlined Greece’s contribution to the common efforts of the Alliance in Afghanistan in the form of human resources and development aid. He underlined the urgent need to confront the humanitarian crisis in the country through the continuing efforts of the international community, especially in light of the massive wave of refugees leaving Afghanistan due to the internal instability, a large number of which arrive in Greece seeking asylum, with serious economic and social repercussions for our country. He further underscored that the Afghan government must meet its obligations toward the international community, particularly in the field of the protection of women’s rights. Furthermore, the Foreign Minister reiterated the need for a strict enforcement of the timeline which was agreed upon at the Lisbon Summit and attached particular importance to further enhancing cooperation between NATO and the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan, as well as with important partners such as Russia.
In the margins of the Ministerial Meeting, the Foreign Minister met with his Bulgarian counterpart N. Mladenov with whom he discussed the latest developments in the Western Balkans, as well as issues of bilateral interest. Tonight, the Foreign Minister will participate in a working dinner, during which discussions will revolve around NATO partnerships, relations with Russia, developments in the Middle East and Syria among other issues.
April 18, 2012