France's Morin favors NATO Afghan withdrawal date
WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - France's defense chief on Monday suggested NATO set a date for starting the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan, once the Western alliance has settled on a new strategy for the war-ravaged country.
Defense Minister Herve Morin, on a visit to Washington for talks with top U.S. officials, said NATO could set specific timelines for achieving progress in Afghanistan in areas including security and governance.
"Once we have redefined our overall concept in Afghanistan, linked to the increased contribution by the Americans, I think we must define some dates fairly rapidly," Morin said at a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.
"And why not set, also fairly rapidly, a date that could announce the start of the withdrawal of alliance forces?"
Morin did not elaborate.
Senior U.S. officials have stressed the need to reassure Afghans that NATO troops are not an occupying force, but none has suggested setting a withdrawal date.
Morin's remarks coincide with a U.S. review of Afghan policy that is expected to produce a new strategy before President Barack Obama meets other NATO leaders at a summit in early April.
The United States currently has 38,000 troops in Afghanistan and announced plans last month to send another 17,000 that NATO commanders say are necessary to stabilize the country against an intensifying Taliban insurgency.
There are just over 30,000 troops there from other NATO countries and U.S. allies. France, with 2,800 troops, is the fourth largest contributor after the United States, Britain and Germany.
Washington has also asked its allies for additional temporary forces to help secure Afghanistan ahead of a national election currently set for Aug. 20.
U.S. officials have emphasized that they expect the war in Afghanistan to be a long hard fight and have expressed frustration over the reluctance of NATO allies to provide additional combat forces.
Morin was expected to meet this week with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, President Barack Obama's national security adviser James Jones and U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. (Reporting by David Morgan and Andrew Gray, editing by Anthony Boadle)
Defense Minister Herve Morin, on a visit to Washington for talks with top U.S. officials, said NATO could set specific timelines for achieving progress in Afghanistan in areas including security and governance.
"Once we have redefined our overall concept in Afghanistan, linked to the increased contribution by the Americans, I think we must define some dates fairly rapidly," Morin said at a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.
"And why not set, also fairly rapidly, a date that could announce the start of the withdrawal of alliance forces?"
Morin did not elaborate.
Senior U.S. officials have stressed the need to reassure Afghans that NATO troops are not an occupying force, but none has suggested setting a withdrawal date.
Morin's remarks coincide with a U.S. review of Afghan policy that is expected to produce a new strategy before President Barack Obama meets other NATO leaders at a summit in early April.
The United States currently has 38,000 troops in Afghanistan and announced plans last month to send another 17,000 that NATO commanders say are necessary to stabilize the country against an intensifying Taliban insurgency.
There are just over 30,000 troops there from other NATO countries and U.S. allies. France, with 2,800 troops, is the fourth largest contributor after the United States, Britain and Germany.
Washington has also asked its allies for additional temporary forces to help secure Afghanistan ahead of a national election currently set for Aug. 20.
U.S. officials have emphasized that they expect the war in Afghanistan to be a long hard fight and have expressed frustration over the reluctance of NATO allies to provide additional combat forces.
Morin was expected to meet this week with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, President Barack Obama's national security adviser James Jones and U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. (Reporting by David Morgan and Andrew Gray, editing by Anthony Boadle)
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