“I welcome the signature of the Bilateral Security Agreement between the United States and Afghanistan and of the Status of Forces Agreement between NATO and Afghanistan. The conclusion of these agreements opens a new chapter for cooperation between NATO, our partners, and the Afghan National Security Forces’, said Rasmussen.
On September 30, 2014 NATO Secretary General Rasmussen issued a statement on the signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement.
It read as follows:
“I welcome the signature of the Bilateral Security Agreement between the United States and Afghanistan and of the Status of Forces Agreement between NATO and Afghanistan. The conclusion of these agreements opens a new chapter for cooperation between NATO, our partners, and the Afghan National Security Forces.
As the ISAF mission is completed at the end of this year, the NATO Status of Forces Agreement provides the legal basis for our new mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces. The signing of today’s agreements means that this new NATO-led mission, called Resolute Support, can start on 1 January 2015, as planned.
Moreover, we remain committed to help finance the Afghan security forces through 2017, to help Afghanistan to further strengthen its institutions, and to further develop our political and practical cooperation with Afghanistan through our Enduring Partnership
I warmly congratulate President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah as they assume their duties. They enter office at a pivotal moment for Afghanistan. We will continue to stand with them and with the Afghan people for a secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan”, said Anders Fogh Rasmussen in a statement issued on 30 September 2014.
Note: The U.S.–Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement, officially titled Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States of America, is an agreement between Afghanistan and the United States of America that provides the long-term framework for the relationship between Afghanistan and the United States of America after the drawdown of U.S. forces in the Afghanistan war .
The signing ceremony took place in Kabul’s presidential palace where Afghan national security advisor Hanif Atmar and American Ambassador James Cunningham inked the so-called Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA). The Afghan advisor then signed a similar document with NATO’s civilian representative to the country.
Afghanistan’s new president, Ashraf Ghani, authorized the ratifications a day after taking office, thus quickly fulfilling one of his election promises. The agreement authorizes the deployment of a small international military force in the country after the end of the year.
The signed agreements will also “end civilian casualties and detentions of Afghans by foreign forces”, citing them as two major Afghan concerns, according to the Afghan presidential press office release.
The agreement also clearly states that the right to use force will be “based on decisions by the Afghan government alone and foreign forces will not be able to enter mosques or other holy sites around the country.”
We contacted the White House for comment and a member of the press office refused stating
“that I am not on the list of approved media representatives.
The Taliban has rejected the deal as “shameful and shocking insult.”