Kabul: NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is making a surprise visit to Afghanistan accompanied by all the 28 members of the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s governing body.
The visit is controversial because the United Nations Security Council canceled plans to visit Afghanistan this month, claiming that the conditions are too dangerous, according to Security Council diplomats familiar with the planned trip.
Rasmussen is due to hold a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai when they were expected to outline draft plans on how to continue international support for Afghanistan after NATO’s current mandate runs out in 2014.
Last week, Rasumssen announced NATO’s intention to remain in Afghanistan for a “non-combat” mission, following a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, which was very clear that NATO forces would cease their current combat role in Afghanistan which is conducted by ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force.
Much of NATO’s work in Afghanistan for the past two years has been focused on training and supporting Afghanistan’s new army and police forces, and an elaborate process of transition from NATO to Afghan forces is well underway.
“When we end our current combat operation by the end of 2014, we will have a very strong Afghan security force to take full responsibility for the security all over Afghanistan,” Rasmussen had reported to the NATO defence ministers in Brussels. “I feel confident that the Afghan security forces will be able to take such full responsibility.”
