NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg called on the Afghan warring parties to benefit from the presently “historic opportunity” for peace in Afghanistan.

“I spoke to President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah (Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation) to welcome the upcoming start of intra-Afghan talks,” Stoltenberg said in a tweet on Monday.

His conversation with the top Afghan leaders comes amid a slight optimism towards the Afghan peace process after the Consultative Loya Jirga (traditional assembly), called for the release of the 400 Taliban prisoners to layout long waited intra-Afghan negotiations. The 400 prisoners – who are the remaining of the 5,000 prisoners – whose release was agreed in a US peace deal with Taliban on February 29th that also pave the drawdown of American forces in Afghanistan, were involved in major crimes, the Afghan officials said.

To boost up the Afghan peace efforts, Stoltenberg said that NATO adjusted its presence in the country. “NATO stands with Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism,” he added.

http://www.afghanistantimes.af/nato-urges-afghans-to-benefit-from-historic-peace-opportunity/