Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Afghanistan, Germany to Sign Strategic Agreement

Afghanistan, Germany to Sign Strategic Agreement

KABUL - Minister of Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak said Germany has pledged to support Afghanistan beyond its withdrawal of troops in 2014 with a strategic partnership agreement. Germany's Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere met with Wardak in Kabul on Wednesday, following his visit to Pakistan on Tuesday.

"The international community and Germany has promised that they will not allow Afghanistan to become a haven for terrorists," Wardak said at a press conference after the meeting with de Maiziere.
"[Germany] supports Afghanistan's security process - Afghanistan is playing a major role in stability and security of the region."

He did not give a date for the agreement, but the understanding was it would be soon.
De Maiziere said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who made a one-day visit to Afghanistan on Monday, has discussed the long-term agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

De Maiziere also met with Karzai and reassured him the 2014 deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan is on target, but that Germany would continue to support the development of the country and its security forces.

"I stressed that we would not leave Afghanistan after 2014," he said.
The meeting between the two defense ministers included discussions about handing over security responsibility for Mazar-
e-Sharif and the Samangan province in the north to the Afghan forces soon, Wardak said.

Germany is the third biggest supplier of troops to the 130,000-strong NATO-led forces after the US and Britain.
It has around 4,900 troops in Afghanistan, most are based in Kunduz province. Fifty-three German soldiers have died in Afghanistan since the start of 2001. (Tolo News)