Iraq-Afghanistan Leave Mark on NATO Summit

The NATO leaders yesterday offered help to the new Bagdat (Baghdad) government with the training of Iraqi security forces. That decision came on the same day as the ‘early’ handover of sovereignty in Iraq.

In accordance with United Nations Security Council resolution no: 1546, the 26 NATO members agreed to contribute to the training of the Iraqi Armed Forces. The military training will reportedly take place both inside and outside of Iraq. France declared that it would consider lending assistance to the military training only if it is conducted outside of Iraq.

Afghanistan was also much talked about during the summit. The Istanbul Declaration, issued after the Summit, approves the extension of the NATO work area in Afghanistan from Kabul and Kunduz to all of northern Afghanistan. Accordingly, it has been agreed that the number of soldiers in Afghanistan will be increased from 6,400 to 10,000.