A
AALARD
Guest
Summit commits to 2014 Afghan role
KABUL, Afghanistan, International leaders have reaffirmed their support for a complete transition of security and budgeting responsibility to the Afghan government by 2014.
But doubts over whether Afghanistan can assume those responsibilities without continued infusion of foreign aid and the presence of a significant number of foreign troops were underscored by the vague language describing the timeline for handing over security responsibility, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
The 2014 transition goal, outlined by Afghan President Hamid Karzai last year, is non-binding and essentially unenforceable, though more specific plans will be developed later this year, the newspaper said.
Karzai told the international summit in Kabul his country's forces would be ready to assume security duties within four years.
The timeline was endorsed in a communication by American, European and other foreign leaders participating in the conference, which includes all of the major troop-contributing nations in the coalition fighting insurgents, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"I remain determined that our Afghan national security forces will be responsible for all military and law enforcement operations throughout our country by 2014," Karzai told the delegates meeting in the Afghan capital.
Participants included U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Karzai proffered the goal of a security handover by 2014 in November when he was inaugurated for a second presidential term.
President Obama's administration set a target of July 2011 to begin drawing down nearly 100,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. However, military and administration officials stressed the drawdown will depend on conditions on the ground.
Leaders speaking at the conference stressed that the 2014 timeline would depend on the Afghan police and army showing their ability to handle security province by province.
"I welcome the road map agreed on today on transition to an Afghan lead in security," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. "But transition will be based on conditions, not calendars."
Conference participants also endorsed plans to funnel at least half of the $13 billion in international aid through the Afghan government, the Times said. Now only a fifth of such assistance is channeled through Afghan ministries.
In exchange, Karzai pledged to fight corruption in his government.
KABUL, Afghanistan, International leaders have reaffirmed their support for a complete transition of security and budgeting responsibility to the Afghan government by 2014.
But doubts over whether Afghanistan can assume those responsibilities without continued infusion of foreign aid and the presence of a significant number of foreign troops were underscored by the vague language describing the timeline for handing over security responsibility, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
The 2014 transition goal, outlined by Afghan President Hamid Karzai last year, is non-binding and essentially unenforceable, though more specific plans will be developed later this year, the newspaper said.
Karzai told the international summit in Kabul his country's forces would be ready to assume security duties within four years.
The timeline was endorsed in a communication by American, European and other foreign leaders participating in the conference, which includes all of the major troop-contributing nations in the coalition fighting insurgents, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"I remain determined that our Afghan national security forces will be responsible for all military and law enforcement operations throughout our country by 2014," Karzai told the delegates meeting in the Afghan capital.
Participants included U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Karzai proffered the goal of a security handover by 2014 in November when he was inaugurated for a second presidential term.
President Obama's administration set a target of July 2011 to begin drawing down nearly 100,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. However, military and administration officials stressed the drawdown will depend on conditions on the ground.
Leaders speaking at the conference stressed that the 2014 timeline would depend on the Afghan police and army showing their ability to handle security province by province.
"I welcome the road map agreed on today on transition to an Afghan lead in security," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. "But transition will be based on conditions, not calendars."
Conference participants also endorsed plans to funnel at least half of the $13 billion in international aid through the Afghan government, the Times said. Now only a fifth of such assistance is channeled through Afghan ministries.
In exchange, Karzai pledged to fight corruption in his government.
