North Atlantic Council and Partners visit Afghanistan
The North Atlantic Council, NATO�s highest decision-making body, and ambassadors from several partner nations are currently visiting Afghanistan. The visit is being led by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

�My clear message is that the whole international community will stay committed to helping Afghanistan in the future�, the Secretary General told Afghan media in Kabul. "Our goal is that Afghanistan will be able to stand on its own feet, but Afghanistan will not stand alone."

The delegation will hold talks with President Karzai and members of the Afghan government, as well as representatives of the international community in Afghanistan.

The visit also includes meetings with General John Allen, Commander of ISAF; Ambassador Maurits Jochems, the new NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan; and commanders from the Afghan National Security Forces.

The strategy agreed between NATO, ISAF partners and the Afghan government is to enable the Afghan forces to take full responsibility for their country's security by the end of 2014. NATO has also agreed to offer a new mission after 2014 to offer the Afghan forces training, advice and assistance.

"I'm confident that the Afghan security forces will be able to take full responsibility for security by the end of 2014. We have already seen them do a great job, and we will continue our training activities and further increase the capability of the Afghan security forces," the Secretary General said.