News
Saturday, April 17, 2010
NATO acknowledges Pakistan operations against Taliban
LONDON: NATO acknowledges Pakistan’s drive against extremists and Taliban in the tribal region, NATO spokesperson James Appathurai said on Friday. Talking to reporters ahead of the two-day NATO foreign ministers conference, which will take place next week in Estonian capital Tallin, he said, “Operations against the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan are clearly very difficult.” He spoke of the terrorism problem faced by Pakistan and Afghanistan and said there needs to be a solution on both sides of the border. Asked whether these operations have impacted NATO’s own counter-insurgency measures within Afghanistan, Appathurai said, “I have not seen an answer to that question.” On the question of Pakistan’s offer to train Afghan forces, he said it was up to Pakistan and Afghanistan to decide. Appathurai said NATO was facing shortage of trainers for the Afghan security forces. The organisation needs at least 500 trainers, he added. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk