NATO's in Afghanistan until 2014
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E-mail Xinhua, February 3, 2012
NATO forces would not end combat operations in Afghanistan until the security transition to local forces completed by the end of 2014, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stressed on Thursday.
Following a meeting with NATO defense ministers, Rasmussen said that the coalition was sticking to its previously agreed roadmap, which was declared in November 2010 in Lisbon, to wind up operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
"That decision and that roadmap still stand. We are all committed to the principle: in together, out together," he said.
"Until we reach that point, the role of our forces will gradually change from combat to support, based on security and the realities on the ground. But let me stress: we will conduct combat operations throughout the transition period," said Rasmussen.
"Even when the last tranche of provinces and districts have been handed over to lead Afghan responsibility, we will still need to support the Afghan security forces, including by conducting combat operations," he said.
The remarks came after both French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had suggested that NATO should end its combat operations before the end of 2013, about one year ahead of the Lisbon plan.
Rasmussen said NATO should hand over lead responsibility to the Afghan forces "sometime before" the end of 2014, backtracking from his previous stance that the Afghan forces would be in the lead all over Afghanistan by the middle of 2013.
"If anyone thinks that the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) mission will be completed by 2013, then I can declare that is not the case."
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