Turkish Defense Minister Addresses Berlin Security Meeting

BERLIN - Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul addressed on Tuesday at a meeting on security policy and defense industry in Berlin, delivering a speech on "a comprehensive approach for Afghanistan."
Gonul said international community and NATO had made significant progress in Afghanistan since the downfall of the Taleban regime in 2001, in areas such as infrastructure, education and health.
"However, we have yet to restore stability in the country, which still remains as a demanding task for Afghan authorities and the international community and the Afghan mission should not be viewed solely as a military problem," Gonul said.
Gonul said the main focus in Afghanistan should be placed on the reconstruction and the development of the country rather than on the fighting, and prospective general elections would build a trust on part of the Afghan people in their government.
(YMB-MS)
(GEN)