Armenia will continue its contribution to the establishment of
peace, security and stability in Afghanistan

On May 21 the meeting of the heads of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) participating countries took place in Chicago. At the meeting the Armenian delegation was led by Edward Nalbandian, the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The representatives from around five dozen countries, which are members of the NATO or participating ISAF attended the meeting, which was devoted to the situation in Afghanistan and the international community’s activities to be done.

Delivering a speech, the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to continue its contribution to the efforts undertaken towards the establishment of security and internal solidarity in Afghanistan.

In particular Edward Nalbandian said, “It is evident that we together put on record achievements in bringing noticeable degree of security to the Afghan land, succeeded to plant the seeds of future development of the Afghan society. The positive dynamic is evident. But certainly more efforts are required to make this process irreversible.

Unfortunately, we learn every day that transition is not an easy task to be accomplished smoothly. The destructive forces are still trying to derail, to obstruct the process that leads to normal and peaceful life for millions of Afghan people, as we have been witnessing.

The international community’s efforts should be aimed at the prevention of the activities of those destructive forces of terror that ravage not only their own soil but at times spread far away as mercenaries. We, in our region, experienced it and we know what it means. The important thing is to keep the momentum in transforming Afghanistan in a way that it will not serve as a source of constant concern to its neighbors and far beyond, but become a positive driving force for the whole region, to use its own riches for the sustainable benefit of Afghan people and others.”

Minister Nalbandian stressed that Armenia will continue its contribution to the fostering and establishment of peace, security and stability in Afghanistan as before the anticipated 2014 of withdrawal of the international security assistance forces, as well as afterwards.