Russian envoy: foreign military bases in Afghanistan arouse questions September 21, 2012 - 09:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia wants to know what is the purpose of foreign military bases that will remain in Afghanistan after the completion of the U.S.-led antiterrorism operation in 2014, Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said, according to RIA Novosti. “Contradictory statements that foreign troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan in 2014, but the foreign military bases will remain there raise a number of questions,” Churkin said. NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) plans to hand over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the Afghan leadership by the end of 2014, as decided at the 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon. Churkin said that if the antiterrorism operation was completed in Afghanistan then the purpose to keep foreign military bases there would be different and Russia wanted to know the aim for maintaining the bases. “If the fight against terrorism continues [after 2014], the UN Security Council will have to extend the mandate for this operation,” the diplomat added. The international coalition in Afghanistan has lost more than 330 troops killed so far in 2012, according to ISAF. The foreign troop contingents are scheduled to withdraw by the end of 2014. Partner news  Top stories Ahmadinejad will be replaced by Hassan Rowhani as president on August 3 following presidential elections last week. Petr Necas' decision will end his three-party coalition government, which was created after the 2010 parliamentary election. "Are these the people you want to support? Are they the ones you want to supply with weapons?” the Russian President said. A turnout of 72.2% was registered of the 50 million Iranians who were eligible to vote for the successor to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.   Partner news |  Latest news Adobe releases major updates to flagship products  There will also be integration with NY-based Behance, which Adobe acquired late last year for an undisclosed amount.Oil prices steady ahead of U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting To help support the economic recovery, the Fed buys $85bn in bonds every month, which pumps money into the financial system.Gaddafi son to be tried in August Saif al-Islam is currently being held in the western Libyan town of Zintan, following his capture by militiamen at the end of 2011.Jennifer Lopez joins Antonio Banderas in “The 33” In the film, 33 miners were trapped for 69 days before they were freed during a rescue operation that received extensive media coverage. |
