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Russian envoy: foreign military bases in Afghanistan arouse questions
September 21, 2012 - 09:07 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia wants to know what is the purpose of foreign
military bases that will remain in Afghanistan after the completion of
the U.S.-led antiterrorism operation in 2014, Russia's UN envoy Vitaly
Churkin said, according to RIA Novosti.
`Contradictory statements that foreign troops will be withdrawn from
Afghanistan in 2014, but the foreign military bases will remain there
raise a number of questions,' Churkin said.
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) plans to hand
over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the Afghan
leadership by the end of 2014, as decided at the 2010 NATO summit in
Lisbon.
Churkin said that if the antiterrorism operation was completed in
Afghanistan then the purpose to keep foreign military bases there
would be different and Russia wanted to know the aim for maintaining
the bases.
`If the fight against terrorism continues [after 2014], the UN
Security Council will have to extend the mandate for this operation,'
the diplomat added.
The international coalition in Afghanistan has lost more than 330
troops killed so far in 2012, according to ISAF. The foreign troop
contingents are scheduled to withdraw by the end of 2014.
September 21, 2012 - 09:07 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia wants to know what is the purpose of foreign
military bases that will remain in Afghanistan after the completion of
the U.S.-led antiterrorism operation in 2014, Russia's UN envoy Vitaly
Churkin said, according to RIA Novosti.
`Contradictory statements that foreign troops will be withdrawn from
Afghanistan in 2014, but the foreign military bases will remain there
raise a number of questions,' Churkin said.
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) plans to hand
over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the Afghan
leadership by the end of 2014, as decided at the 2010 NATO summit in
Lisbon.
Churkin said that if the antiterrorism operation was completed in
Afghanistan then the purpose to keep foreign military bases there
would be different and Russia wanted to know the aim for maintaining
the bases.
`If the fight against terrorism continues [after 2014], the UN
Security Council will have to extend the mandate for this operation,'
the diplomat added.
The international coalition in Afghanistan has lost more than 330
troops killed so far in 2012, according to ISAF. The foreign troop
contingents are scheduled to withdraw by the end of 2014.