NATO to issue declaration in supporting Afghanistan

KABUL, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would repeat its continued support to the post-Taliban Afghanistan by issuing a declaration at its next summit held in Bucharest early next month, the alliance senior civilian envoy to Afghanistan said Wednesday.

"NATO will issue at the summit in Bucharest a public declaration on Afghanistan to support the country and the statement of course had been agreed by the 26 of NATO leaders," Maurits Jochems told newsmen at his first meeting with the press here in the Afghan capital.

He also said that the alliance in the declaration would focus on four elements which include confirmation of long-term support to Afghanistan, underlining the support to Afghan leadership, coordination of international efforts and regional cooperation particularly among those nations neighboring Afghanistan.

Afghanistan issue, he added, would be debated at the second day of the three-day summit which will open in Romanian capital next Wednesday.

The newly appointed of the NATO's senior civilian envoy to Afghanistan also termed the summit very important, adding the presence of President Hamid Karzai, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon and the head of European Commission at the summit indicates its importance.

The summit is taking place amid increasing Taliban insurgency and rift among NATO states over reinforcing troops to Afghanistan.

However, Jochems stressed that NATO will have enough troops to fight insurgents in Afghanistan.

More than 55,000 troops from NATO-led International security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the U.S.-led Coalition forces have been serving in Afghanistan to stabilize security and accelerate reconstruction process in this war-torn country.