Australian Afghan pullout part of war plans: NATO

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Australian Afghan pullout part of war plans: NATO

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NATO chief has said that Australias Afghan pullout will not prompt others to follow the decision.

18 April,2012 08:14 pm

Australias decision to bring troops home from Afghanistan earlier than expected is part of the war strategy and will not prompt other nations to rush out, NATOs chief says.The announcement was fully within the framework of a roadmap agreed by NATO and its partners in Afghanistan to gradually hand over security control to Afghan security forces, secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday.It is within the line of our strategy that as we gradually hand over lead responsibility to the Afghans, we will also adapt our presence in Afghanistan, Mr Rasmussen said as NATO defence and foreign ministers gathered in Brussels for two days of talks.All 50 allies and partners within the ISAF coalition have committed themselves to the basic principle of, in together, out together. And I know that the Australians are committed to that principle as well, he said.On Tuesday, Prime Minister Julia Gillard outlined the Governments plan for an early troop withdrawal from Afghanistan which could see the majority of Australian soldiers return by the end of 2013 instead of 2014.Australia has about 1,550 troops stationed in Afghanistan, mostly in Uruzgan province, and so far 32 Australian soldiers have been killed in the conflict.Ms Gillard said troops would begin leaving as soon as Afghan president Hamid Karzai declared Afghans would take responsibility for the province.