WASHINGTON: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance sought to continue regular military contact with Pakistan and the recent visit of a high-level military delegation from Islamabad to its headquarters in Brussels was a “part of that process”.
Stoltenberg was responding to a question posed by the correspondent of a Pakistan news channel during a press conference late Friday.
“What is the state of affairs between NATO and Pakistan, particularly regarding Afghanistan? And, in addition to that, will you be willing to support through your infrastructure to Afghan people if there is humanitarian aid required?” Khalid Hameed Farooqi had asked.
“The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is dire, dire, and very difficult and this is of course of great concern for all of us. And winter is coming. And we know that many people are at risk of suffering and having a very difficult time throughout the winter,” Stoltenberg responded according to a transcript of the presser.
“Therefore, I welcome that many NATO Allies are providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, through the UN, and through different relief organizations. I think this is extremely important and something which demonstrates the will, and the commitment, of NATO Allies to continue to support the people of Afghanistan.
“This is something they do through the UN, and different bilateral arrangements, and relief organizations. And I think that’s the best […] of organizing these kinds of humanitarian support to the people of Afghanistan.”
About Pakistan, the Nato secretary general said: “When it comes to Pakistan, NATO has had regular contacts with Pakistan for many, many years. Of course, not least discussing the situation in Afghanistan.
We have political contacts, we have regular military contacts and dialogue and I think this is important that this continues because there are still many challenges in the region, especially related to the future of Afghanistan.”
Touching on tensions with Russia, Stoltenberg said Moscow has amassed heavy military equipment, tanks and combat-ready troops near Ukraine and warned that any use of force against Ukraine would be costly for the Eastern European nation.
He also said he expected the new German federal government to spend more on its armed forces and welcomed its decision to continue hosting Western nuclear weapons in Germany.
“I expect Germany to invest more in its military,” Stoltenberg said.
