BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary General George Robertson on Wednesday decided to appoint former Parliament Speaker and Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin as the political representative for Afghanistan.
The decision was taken officially after weekly regular meeting of NATO Council and Cetin became the highest political representative of Robertson who undertakes the command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
Cetin will carry on coordination and dialogue with local offices and also political contacts and contacts with neighbor countries within operations of NATO in Afghanistan.
NATO which attributes great importance to its mission in Afghanistan aims to be effective not only in military field but also in political field in Afghanistan.
NATO Secretary General George Robertson, whose term in office will end in the new year, earlier said that Alliance's failure in Afghanistan would affect negatively people living in that country and harm reliability of international society.
GUL PHONES HIKMET CETIN
Sources said on Wednesday that Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul called Cetin, who was one of the former parliament speakers and foreign ministers and who was currently in Tel Aviv, and noted that Gul received information about developments regarding Cetin's assignment.
Sources said that Cetin's candidacy for this assignment had been also brought onto the agenda during NATO Secretary General George Robertson's farewell visit to Ankara.
(EÖ-AY) 19.11.2003