ANKARA, Nov 16: Turkey, the only Muslim member of NATO, is ready to commit troops to a possible peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan if it plays a role in international efforts to establish stability in the war-torn country, Turkish Defence Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said.

“We have already announced that we give importance to the issue of a peacekeeping mission, but on the condition that Ankara has a say in the administration and guidance of the area,” Cakmakoglu told reporters late on Thursday, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Asked what he was referring to, the minister said: “I mean the powers who will be tasked in the guidance of the multilateral administration to be formed by Afghanistan’s neighbours, the United States and some other countries.”

He also added that Turkish troops would participate in a peacekeeping mission to “maintain the established peace”, implying that they would not take part in a possible ground operation to install stability in Afghanistan.

“But of course, a possible peacekeeping mission is not an issue we can immediately say yes to, it depends on the progress of the war and the operation,” he added.

Ankara said last month that it was ready to take part in a potential post-Taliban peacekeeping force as long as the force is organized under UN auspices.

The issue of peacekeepers is high on the agenda as part of international efforts to maintain stability in Afghanistan following sweeping territorial gains by the Northern Alliance.—AFP