NATO welcomes ratification of BSA, SOFA by Afghan Parliament

BRUSSELS (NNI): The NATO Secretary General has welcomed Afghanistan’s Parliament for the ratification of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) signed with Washington and the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed with NATO.

A day before NATO’s foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, capital of Belgium, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the Afghan mission was the toughest mission in the alliance’s history.

Although, the NATO combat mission in Afghanistan will conclude by the end of 2014, Stoltenberg noted that the United States would continue its combat against insurgents in the war-hit country.

“The Afghan Parliament has now ratified, by an overwhelming majority, the two security agreements with NATO and the United States,” he announced on Monday. “I warmly welcome the vote, which paves the way for the launch of a new mission.”

Stoltenberg added that “the rest of the support is going to be launched on the first of January 2015.”

“This will be a non-combat mission to train, advice and assist afghan security forces. It reflects the progress we have made together with great sacrifice and it will enable Afghanistan to build on that progress.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador to NATO maintained that Washington will follow two missions in Afghanistan; first training and aiding of the Afghan forces and second the combat mission against insurgency.

The Brussels meeting, which will be attended by the foreign ministers of NATO-member states, is going to begin on Tuesday December 2.

By the end of 2014, most of the NATO troops will withdraw from Afghanistan. A new NATO-led mission, called Resolute Support, will be launched. The mission will consist of approximately 12,000 troops, including NATO allies and partners, to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces.