The two-day talks between NATO foreign affairs ministers in Brussels can be perceived as a preparation for the next year's NATO summit in Warsaw, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák said after the talks on Tuesday. The meeting revolved around the extension of the NATO mission in Afghanistan after 2016, new security challenges in southern Europe linked with the security situation in Turkey, relations with Ukraine and Russia and the invitation for Montenegro to become the next 29th member of the alliance.
Lajčák pointed out that Afghanistan is experiencing the first year of having its domestic forces in control of its own state's security. However, the recent Battle of Kunduz showed that Afghan security forces still have shortcomings and need support, which is why NATO decided to prolong its Resolute Support mission even beyond 2016.
"Slovakia has no problem with extending this mission. We have an approved mandate for 66 soldiers that hasn't been fulfilled", said Lajčák, referring to 38 Slovak soldiers in Afghanistan. The troops, along with potential reinforcements, will remain in the country longer than planned and necessary resources have already been allocated to that end. Among security challenges in southern Europe NATO lists, first and foremost, Islamic State and terrorist activities of foreign fighters, the issue of migration that also has a security dimension and the new situation following the involvement of Russia in the Syrian civil war.
"A military operation of the alliance is not happening any time soon. We put emphasis on strengthening the resilience of our partners in the south in order to help them respond to these challenges, instead", stressed Lajčák.
The foreign affairs minister underlined that NATO as an organisation must stay in the background, yet it could aid its allies by bolstering their capacities. He pointed out that the fight against terrorism represents a complex issue that NATO cannot resolve on its own and in a military fashion. Therefore, it needs to engage in cooperation with the EU, UN and OSCE in every sphere where their mandates converge.
