NATO will not leave Afghanistan after the transition of 2014

A senior NATO official said that in 2014 on taking over security responsibility by Afghan’s troops, NATO and its allied forces will not leave Afghanistan. 

This clarification has been made by the Mark Sedwill NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan at joint press conference with Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb after the two held a meeting here in Helsinki.

He said the conversion in 2014 will not be the last part of NATO's action in Afghanistan, but the starting of a new segment of the operation.

To support the progress of Afghan armed forces as well as Afghanistan's social development program, a continuing association between Afghanistan and the international community would be required after the conversion of NATO forces in 2014. He added, we are staying in Afghanistan as long as we are required and the transition in 2014 does not take as left out from Afghanistan.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen NATO Secretary General declared last November that NATO would begin shifting authorities to Afghan’s forces from the beginning of 2011 and the transition would be accomplished by the end of 2014.