Defense Ministers from NATO Allies and ISAF partner nations on Wednesday endorsed the broad political framework for a new training, advising and assisting mission in Afghanistan after 2014.
This framework will guide NATO's military authorities as they take the planning process forward for this new mission.
"When our ISAF mission ends at the end of 2014, we will offer a new mission to provide training, advice and assistance; this new mission will not be a combat mission" explained the Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the beginning of the meeting. A more detailed outline for this mission will be completed early next year, with a complete plan agreed well before the end of 2013.
During the meeting, Ministers of the 50 nations which contribute to the current NATO-led mission stressed their continued commitment to Afghanistan and to completing the transition process by the end of 2014. "We will support the Afghan forces until they can take full responsibility for their country's security" said the Secretary General. "And between now and the end of 2014, as the Afghans continue to step forward, you will see draw-downs and redeployments of ISAF forces. This is not about speeding up. It is part of the plan. This is a careful, deliberate and coordinated process involving all ISAF partners and the Afghan Government", he clarified.
Defense Ministers reflected both on progress and on remaining challenges in the country. Among these challenges are insider attacks. The Secretary General said that Allies were working hard with their Afghan partners to mitigate the problem.
"We have a strong shared interest in working together to confront this threat. And we are dealing with it together" said Rasmussen. He added that ISAF and the Afghans have taken numerous measures to reduce the risk of insider attacks, including improved vetting and screening, counter-intelligence, and cultural awareness - and we are constantly refining our approach. "The enemies of Afghanistan are using insider attacks to try and undermine trust and public confidence. The Secretary General insisted that "We will not allow the enemy to change our strategy and undermine the trust and confidence we have built".
"No one can drive a wedge between ISAF and our Afghan partners. We remain fully committed to supporting the Afghan security forces as we transition full security control to them by the end of 2014," he said.
NATO Defense Ministers also took stock of progress in improving Allied defense capabilities
The Defense Ministers also discussed the Alliance's KFOR mission. They agreed that the mission continues to play an "indispensable role in Kosovo." Rasmussen said that troops could be moved around with a stronger focus on northern Kosovo to take account of the volatile situation seen there recently.
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