LUXEMBOURG,- NATO would not seek to become a global security organization and its focus will remain in the traditional Euro-Atlantic region, NATO Parliamentary Assembly President Hugh Barley said on Friday.
"I don't see a prospect that NATO will seek to become a global security alliance. We are a mutual security pact amongst North America and European countries and the focus of NATO's interests will remain in the Euro-Atlantic area," Barley told reporters as the four-day spring session of NATO Parliamentary Assembly kicked off here.
He said that the session would discuss a draft report on the security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region because the United States and Canada, two NATO member countries, have "extremely important interests" in the region.
"But is NATO itself going to take a direct stand on these security issues? The answer to that will be no," he said.
NATO's Parliamentary Assembly brings together members of national parliaments from 28 allied nations as well as partner nations and organizations.During Friday's plenary session, ambassadors from NATO's key decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council met jointly with some 300 members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to discuss security issues ranging from the mission in Afghanistan to the conflicts in Syria.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Afghan security forces are expected to taking the lead for security across the country in the coming weeks while NATO forces will complete its shift from a combat to a support role.
The NATO chief said that the alliance would continue to support Afghanistan after 2014 but the Afghan government needs to fulfill its commitments to hold credible elections, fight corruption etc.
"The continued efforts of the government of Afghanistan to deliver on its commitments will pave the way for our continued support," he stressed.
