BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen Saturday announced that the Alliance has decided to open negotiations on the NATO Status of Forces Agreement.

"I welcome the start of these talks today, at a meeting of NATO's Senior Civilian Representative Ambassador Maurits Jochems with the Afghan National Security Adviser Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta," he said in a statement.

Rasmussen, however, stressed the "NATO Status of Forces Agreement will not be concluded or signed until the signature of the Bilateral Security Agreement between the Governments of Afghanistan and the United States.

"The Status of Forces Agreement will constitute a key element of the legal framework needed for the deployment of the NATO-led "Resolute Support" mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces after 2014, as agreed with the Afghan government at the 2012 NATO Summit in Chicago," he added. (KUNA)