Turkey to support Afghanistan both bilaterally and through NATO

Davutoğlu said NATO member countries need to consolidate their achievements and continue to help the Afghan authorities to implement the needed reforms during the country's decade of transformation.

"Achievements of the past 13 years in Afghanistan are still fragile. That is why we see the continuation of NATO and the wider international community's presence in Afghanistan necessary beyond 2016," he said, adding that that there is still a long way to attain the capacity to cope with the evolving security challenges in Afghanistan.

"With this understanding, we have assumed the responsibility of Kabul International Airport, in addition to and in line with our Resolute Support Mission framework nation responsibility in the Kabul area. We will also contribute $60 million for the financial sustainment of the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces from 2015- 2017," he said.

At the start of the year, Parliament authorized the government to continue posting Turkish troops in Afghanistan for two more years under a new NATO mission. According to the new legislation, the government will be able to send troops to Afghanistan to support the new NATO-led mission, Resolute Support, which was launched on January 1, 2015.

As the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force ended its 13-year combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, the mission has evolved into training and advising the developing Afghan security forces. The legislation also grants the government authority to permit foreign army personnel to be transported to and from Afghanistan through Turkey.