US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that he discussed with his counterparts in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) the issue of the military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, stressing his country's commitment to eradicating ISIS and not withdrawing from Afghanistan in a way that threatens the allies.
After his participation Thursday in the conference of NATO defense ministers, Austin made clear in a press conference that the tasks in Afghanistan and Iraq are not easy, stressing that his country is committed to eliminating ISIS in Iraq.
He said that President Joe Biden's administration is conducting a comprehensive review of the terms of the agreement - which the previous administration signed - with the Taliban, to determine whether all parties have abided by these conditions.
The US Secretary of Defense continued by saying that the United States remains committed to diplomatic efforts to end the war in Afghanistan.
Austin also affirmed Washington's commitment to consulting with allies and partners throughout this process, stressing that his country's forces will not undertake a hasty or uncontrolled withdrawal from Afghanistan, in a manner that threatens NATO forces, stressing that Washington has not made any decision regarding the condition of its forces there.
For his part, US Army Central Command Commander Kenneth McKinsey said that the Taliban movement is clearly responsible for the ongoing violence in Afghanistan, and expressed concern about the risk of extremist groups re-emerging there after the departure of foreign forces.
In the context, European officials from countries that have a large military presence in Afghanistan said that they link the future of their forces' presence there with American plans, given that they depend on them in several issues such as logistical tasks.
Developments on the ground
For his part, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the NATO countries have not yet made a final decision regarding the presence of their forces in Afghanistan, and that they are closely following developments on the ground in coordination with the Afghan forces.
He explained that coordination and consultation is also underway with the United States, and accordingly, an appropriate decision will be taken on the presence of NATO forces.
Stoltenberg stressed that the Taliban must fulfill its obligations under the agreement with the United States, including making progress in peace talks with Kabul, reducing violence and cutting ties with "international terrorist groups."
He added, "The goal of NATO is to ensure that Afghanistan does not once again become a safe haven for terrorists attacking our homelands."
On September 12, historic peace negotiations were launched in the Qatari capital, Doha, between the Afghan government and the Taliban, after the movement and the United States signed on February 29 a historic agreement that provides for a gradual US withdrawal from Afghanistan and an exchange of prisoners.