Handover to Afghans to start in 2011: Nato chief
Washington, Sept. 8: Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said ahead of talks with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday that he hoped US-led troops would begin handing over responsibility to Afghan security forces sometime in 2011.
The secretary-general said he expected the transatlantic alliance would unveil plans at a November summit in Lisbon for a gradual transition to Afghan forces in 2011, in line with Mr Obama’s plans to begin a US withdrawal in July.
“I hope that by November we will be in a position to make announcements as to where transition can start in broad terms at least,” Mr Rasmussen told reporters during a visit to Washington. “I do believe the President’s July 2011 deadline, so to speak, fits neatly into this concept.” He declined to predict the precise timeline for the handover or in which provinces or districts Afghan forces might be able to take the lead for security.
Nato officials and some European leaders had at one point forecast that a handover of security duties could begin this year. Later, Mr Rasmussen met Mr Obama in private talks in the Oval Office, and discussed Nato and US approaches to implementing Afghan strategy. Mr Obama said he looked forward to discussing reforming Nato and the Western alliance’ commitment to cyber and missile defences during the Lisbon summit, according to a White House statement.
Meanwhile, the US does not plan to contribute to a Nato request for 2,000 troops for the Afghan war, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. The Nato commander in Afghanistan submitted a request last week that alliance officials said called for another 2,000 soldiers, including 750 trainers.
Mr Obama said he looked forward to discussing reforming Nato and the Western alliance’ commitment to cyber and missile defences during the Lisbon summit, according to a White House statement. US military and Nato officials have been laying the ground for the summit and a US strategy review in December, with alliance members expected to declare progress in the war, nearly nine years after a US-led invasion launched in the wake of the September 11 attacks. With casualties rising, public support for the war is on the decline on both sides of the Atlantic, and US and European leaders are anxious to find a way to begin pulling out the nearly 1,50,000 troops on the ground.
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