Wednesday October 8, 2014
Kabul (BNA) The National Unity Government after a day after its formation signed the long awaited Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the US and another agreement known as Status of Forces Agreement SOFA with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The BSA was signed during a special ceremony in the presidential place between the newly appointed national security advisor to President Mohammad Hanif Atmar and the US ambassador in Kabul James Cunningham. Afghanistan also inked another agreement SOFA with the NATO alliance. Signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement BSA was one of the controversial issues between the US and former president Hamid Karzai administration. Because Karzai had set a number of preconditions to be honored by the US for signing the agreement which is included of restoration of peace and security, convincing the Taliban to attend the negotiation table and a halt to military raids on Afghan homes.
President Ahmadzai has announced signing of the BSA a step forward toward Afghanistan’s peaceful future and prosperity and stressed that Afghanistan by inking the BSA has achieved its national sovereignty. it is quite significant to mention that signing of BSA provides clarity and a legal framework to the presence of a number of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan post-2014 when international forces are due to evacuate the country after a decade long combat against international terrorism and militancy. But the question before the nation was the BSA as a positive move to help Afghanistan in restoring security. Representatives of the people of Afghanistan in the historic Loya Jirga endorsed signing of the BSA between the two countries to tackle the ongoing challenges and remove uncertainty about the future of Afghanistan and prevent interference of neighboring countries. Afghanistan has suffered war and violence over the past three decades. it was essential to us to have the support of a powerful ally and international community to help the country in military and economic spheres and the US is one of the key allies to Afghanistan.
Therefore, signing of bilateral security agreement must ensure protection of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty. And country’s border must be protected against foreign invasion and the threats emerging out of international terrorism and militancy. The BSA should also help Afghanistan in restoration of longstanding peace and security. The US intervened in Afghanistan after the 11th September incident on the basis of a UN Security Council resolution. The Iraq experience shows that when the US withdrew forces from that country, financial and military aids were also reduced to the Iraqi government. The people of Afghanistan expect that signing of the security agreement will also give an end to the Pakistani interference. Afghanistan hopes that with signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement BSA with the US and the Status of Forces Agreement SOFA with NATO, our western allies will honor all commitments they made and continue backing Afghanistan financially and militarily so that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are equipped with modern arms and ammunitions to overcome the security issues effectively. It is also the responsibility of our government to struggle more and more and get advantage of the agreement economically and financially.
