US denies intention to keep military base in Afghanistan after pullout

MOSCOW. March 16. KAZINFORM The Americans deny the intention to keep a military base in Afghanistan upon the completion of the counter-terrorist operation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in comment on a statement from Afghanistan; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

"Most probably, the statement mirrors the wish of the Afghan administration to prevent a security vacuum in the case of an early or hasty pullout of forces," he said.

"That is why, we remind our partners from NATO countries that the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was granted by the UN Security Council. When they decide to start pulling out national forces from Afghanistan and handing over the control to the Afghanis, it would be fair for them to report on the fulfillment of the mandate to the Security Council," Lavrov said.