Turkish MP: Turkey is much stronger than the US and NATO in Afghanistan

20.08.2021, Istanbul.

Turkey has a stronger presence in Afghanistan than the US and NATO, because it is there “only for the the country’s development, peace and lasting stability,” said Ali Şahin, a member of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party, former president of the South Asian Strategic Research Center on August 20 in an interview to Yeni Şafak newspaper.

According to him, Turkey will “strengthen its reputation and act as an intermediary” in Afghanistan, “no matter which government is in power.” “We must have presence in Afghanistan: militarily, politically and as a humanitarian aid assistant, in order to ensure lasting peace and stability,” stressed Şahin.

The MP rejected the likelihood of Turkey sending its troops to Afghanistan and taking on the US mission, as well as resisting to the Taliban (an organization banned in Russia).

The Turkish Armed Forces are “the only military actor that has not been perceived there [in Afghanistan] as an occupier in the past 20 years,” and in fact provided “employment, hospitals, health care, education, infrastructure, development, peace, and stability”, added Şahin. This is what the Turkish ruling party MP views as ”significant” and “valuable”, and makes Turkey “much stronger than the US and NATO in Afghanistan.”

Turkey is prepared to establish a dialogue with the Taliban (an organization banned in Russia), said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently after Taliban (an organization banned in Russia) took control over Afghanistan following the US troops withdrawal. Ankara is in favor of ensuring “stability and security” in the republic, explained the Turkish President.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency

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