BISHKEK. July 11 (Interfax-AVN) - NATO Secretary General George Robertson has said he is confident that the troops of the antiterrorist coalition in Afghanistan will not be reduced until they complete their mission by curbing activities of the Taliban and other terrorists.
At a news conference in Bishkek on Friday, Robertson said NATO has no military status in conducting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Touching on the joint efforts of NATO and Central Asian countries, Robertson noted that the alliance's transformation to address contemporary threats and challenges improves relations with the countries of the region.
Robertson recalled that Kyrgyzstan confronted these challenges earlier than the members of the North Atlantic alliance and European countries. Back in 1999 and 2000, Kyrgyzstan fought with the terrorist forces that committed terrorist attacks in the United States in September 2001. Afghanistan was a place housing terrorist bases, and Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries made a great contribution to smashing the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan.
Countries like Kyrgyzstan play a key role in opposing terrorist threats in the 21st century, Robertson said.
NATO will be responsible for political management in Kabul, which is a great responsibility not only for Afghanistan, but also for the Central Asian states, which have contributed to providing humanitarian aid to the Afghan people, the NATO secretary general said.
NATO will expand its assistance to the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus by conducting peacekeeping operations, preventing and dealing with manmade and natural disasters, fighting terrorism, and developing technology, he said.
Earlier on Friday, Robertson held negotiations with Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev and met with the top brass of the Defense Ministry.