Boris Johnson: Security focus to controversial Afghan trip
- Published
Boris Johnson has discussed security, counter-extremism and education during a controversial trip to Afghanistan.
The foreign secretary held talks with senior ministers in Kabul during and met some of the 650 UK military personnel based there.
He said a decision would be made "very soon" on whether to increase UK personnel training the Afghan army.
He has come under fire for being abroad on the day the UK Parliament votes on whether to back expanding Heathrow.
It means he misses the Commons vote on building a new runway, which he has opposed for more than a decade.
Downing Street said last week Mr Johnson would be out of the country for Monday's vote on expanding the UK's largest airport.
But his exact whereabouts became clear only a few hours ago, when the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted pictures of him meeting Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai.
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Mr Johnson also met the country's President, Ashraf Ghani, as well as Gen John Nicholson, the US officer who leads Nato's training and assistance mission in Afghanistan.
Since withdrawing its last combat troops in 2014, the UK has maintained a significant presence in the country, helping to train the Afghan army and police as well as providing development assistance.
The UK has said continued support for the Afghan military and government, as well as growing economic co-operation, is vital to Afghanistan's long-term stability and to stop it becoming a launch pad for terror attacks.
Mr Johnson said it was a "crucial moment" for the country and urged all sides to build on the "considerable impetus" behind a lasting political settlement.
"My visit comes comes just as the UK is considering the request from the US and Nato to give additional assistance," he said.
"I was hugely impressed by the work done by British troops as a part of this Nato mission.
"I believe there is still a lot the UK could contribute to this vital operation.
"The government will be taking a decision very soon."
The United States has about 15,000 servicemen and women in the country supporting the Afghan military.
The Ministry of Defence has said it would keep its troop presence under constant review following a request from US President Donald Trump for other Nato members to make more of a contribution.
Mr Johnson met a group of Afghan girls getting access to sports education through UK funding, part of the £750m in development expenditure earmarked between 2016 and 2020.
He said the UK had helped pay for 300,000 Afghan girls to go to school and to train 10,000 teachers over the past six years.
The Afghan foreign ministry said the talks had focused on peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan and the struggle against the Taliban and other insurgent groups.
"After the usual formalities, Deputy Foreign Minister Karzai appreciated the role and sacrifices of British forces for peace and stability in Afghanistan and thanked for the British co-operation in various political and economic spheres with Afghanistan," it said.