NATO to Stay in Afghanistan Beyond 2014 Handover
Szöveg: kormany.hu | 2011. szeptember 24. 11:23NATO will remain engaged in Afghanistan after security control is transferred to local forces, Gen. Dr. Tibor Benkő, the Chief of the MoD Defence Staff told the Hungarian Press Agency MTI after the conference of NATO’s Military Committee on Monday, September 19.
Following the three-day conference held in Seville, the Hungarian Chief of Defence told the press in Budapest that the participants of the event agreed that only properly trained and equipped local forces can guarantee security in Afghanistan, and that significant progress is being made these days in developing these forces. The Hungarian CHOD stressed that handing over security tasks in the country does not mean that NATO would completely withdraw from Afghanistan, as according to current plans the Alliance is going to assist the Afghan forces throughout and beyond the security transition – whose target date is 2014 –, in conducting training programs and generating logistic and other capabilities.
Recent developments in the Arab world, the impact of the “Arab Spring" and the related operations were also on the agenda of the conference. Furthermore, the Chiefs of Defence attending the meeting discussed some issues concerning the ongoing operations and the transformation of NATO’s command structure. Gen. Dr. Tibor Benkő also told MTI that on the closing day of the conference the participants had elected the new Chairman of the Military Committee (CMC) Gen. Knud Bartels, who is currently Chief of Danish Defence. Gen. Bartels will succeed the current Chairman, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola in the summer of 2012.
(Source: MTI)
