Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
NATO, Britain stress Afghan handover plans
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
NATO, Britain stress Afghan handover plans
AFP - Wednesday, November 18
Send
IM Story
Print
NATO, Britain stress Afghan handover plans
EDINBURGH (AFP) - – The head of NATO said Tuesday he expected "substantially more forces" for Afghanistan to be pledged within weeks, but only to help speed up handing over security responsibility to Afghan forces.
His speech came after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown offered to host an international conference on Afghanistan in London in January, which he said could set a timeframe for a gradual security handover from 2010.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he expected an increase in international forces to be agreed "in a few weeks" but underlined that the ultimate goal was to move from a combat to a support role, starting next year.
US President Barack Obama is expected to announce his Afghan strategy review soon after his return from Asia next week, including whether to ramp up troop levels.
Opinion polls in many NATO countries have shown flagging support for the war eight years in.
In a speech to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Edinburgh, Rasmussen said: "people should be reassured that soon there will be new momentum.
"And we have many reasons to be more optimistic. We will progressively be handing over more and more lead responsibility to the Afghans themselves -- this is the key element of our approach that will be clear from the decisions we will be taking in the near future."
He said he expected the alliance to settle on "a counter-insurgency approach, with substantially more forces" focused on protecting Afghans and their development.
He added: "We can, and should, start next year to hand over more lead responsibility for security.
"We will do this in a coordinated way, where conditions permit, and this will allow us to progressively move into a support role."
His comments echo proposals by Brown, who suggested late Monday that a timeframe for handing over security district by district, starting as early as 2010, could be drawn up in the new year.
Rasmussen said the idea was "realistic and achievable" but "cannot be done on the cheap" and without a troop surge.
He warned that if NATO quit Afghanistan, "Al-Qaeda would be back in a flash", setting up a base for global terror attacks and sparking instability in the whole Central Asian region.
Anyone who thought otherwise was "not living in the real world", he added.
Some 257 parliamentarians from the 28 NATO member states are meeting in the Scottish capital to scrutinise the alliance's strategies and thrash out policy recommendations.
Delegates from other countries, such as Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, Afghanistan, Australia, Japan and South Korea, were also present.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the conference that a surge in troop numbers in Afghanistan had to be matched with a renewed push on the political front.
He said the allies had to improve governance standards in the Afghan provinces, divide the Taliban insurgency by bringing wavering elements into the political fold, and get the country's neighbours to play a greater role.
"This is not a war without end," Miliband said.
"We will succeed in Afghanistan only when our military resources and development systems are aligned behind a clear political strategy."
The speeches drew support from Ahmad Farid, an Afghan parliamentary delegate invited to attend.
"We really hope that the things said should be put in practice," the Kapisa Province lawmaker told AFP.
"We agree with increasing the soldiers in Afghanistan but... we need the reconstruction of Afghanistan, more talking with the opposite side.
"If we leave the war, they (the Taliban) won't leave us."
He added: "To bring peace in Afghanistan is to bring peace all over the world."
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Australian PM voices 'concerns' over Scientology AFP - 1 hour 22 minutes ago
For victims, lengthy Khmer Rouge trial painful Reuters - 1 hour 29 minutes ago
Bollywood changes its tune with English lyrics AFP - 1 hour 49 minutes ago
Obama meets Wen as China visit winds down Reuters - 2 hours 11 minutes ago
Four killed in Vietnam by war-era bomb: police AFP - Wednesday, November 18
News Search
Top Stories
US anger at new age rules for breast cancer tests
14,700 declare foreign accounts under US tax amnesty
Last chance prep talks wrap up ahead of Copenhagen
US wholesale prices up 0.3% in October
Sarah Palin pushes book - and possible comeback
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Still losing cash, GM to repay aid early, plans 2010 IPO
Mystery of Bangladesh's mass arsenic poisoning solved
Fed seeking to ensure strong dollar: Bernanke
Space shuttle Atlantis launches
OPEC head: $75 to $80 a barrel a 'good price'
More Most Viewed »
Somali centenarian weds 17-year-old
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 Israel okays new east Jerusalem homes dismaying US
Former SS member, 90, charged over Nazi massacre
YouTube to connect 'citizen journalists' with media outlets
US wholesale prices up 0.3% in October
Israel PM warns about Iran on navy tour
Technology failing disabled net surfers: forum
Hutu extremist leaders arrested in Germany
Sarah Palin pushes book
Iran defiant as Obama warns of 'consequences'
China's Internet users hail Obama's Web show
Zapatero confirms release of Spanish trawler
Stamp out bank secrecy, corruption watchdog says
French academic appears in Tehran court
Five sentenced to death over Iran vote unrest
| International
|
British inflation climbs 1.5%: official data
Amazon to launch Kindle in Canada
Iran says judiciary will decide fate of U.S. hikers
Internet access 'can be matter of life and death'
U.N. court acquits priest of genocide in Rwanda
| International
|
British town to offer free wi-fi to all residents
Pirates free Spanish ship, seize chemical tanker
| International
|
Microsoft to launch Azure cloud service early next year
| Technology
|
Kidnapped Japanese freed in Yemen: mediator
T-Mobile admits employee sold private data
| Technology
|
Dems, Republicans at odds over BofA, Merrill deal
China, US call for resumption of N.Korea talks
Parole board won't spare Ohio mutilation killer
Bangladesh twins separated in marathon Australia surgery
'Blair Witch' thieves prompt new signs in Md. town
Somalia, Afghanistan shamed in graft league table
Alaskans eager for Sarah Palin book release
6 suspected insurgents shot dead in Thai south
FDA says heartburn drugs can interfere with Plavix
UN official visits war-displaced in Sri Lanka
House Ag committee blasts Obama financial proposal
Hong Kong's 'spiders' stick to bamboo scaffolding
Energy Dept. walks the walk with smart building
IBM's new service jumps on cloud computing bandwagon
| Technology
|
2 Thais nabbed on charges of trading African ivory
US seeks max prison terms in Sears Tower plot
Indonesia leader urged to make anti-graft reforms
Army suicides to top 2008, but progress reported
Thai anti-govt protesters to hold prolonged rally
Senate hears need for bank overdraft controls
US sees Turkmen gas deal despite Caspian impasse
Group: Founder of Tibetan Web site gets 15 years
Report: EU ignores Turkmen rights abuse, seeks gas
Taiwan's consumer prices remain stable-c.bank
China, US vow to address trade disputes
Glam, kitsch, rock: Adam Lambert is out to entertain
| Entertainment
|
Swiss court to rule on Polanski bail in 2-3 weeks
Indonesian commission lays blame on police
Crawford's attempted blackmailer surrenders
Katy Perry plots next album, does 'MTV Unplugged'
Peter Jackson asked to up the agony in Lovely Bones
| Entertainment
|
"Raise the Red Lantern" author wins Asian book prize
World-class musicians play pocket-sized concerts
S.African inmates compete in 'Prison Pop Idol'
Elton John says he's back on his feet
Police: Man in custody in 'Cathouse' star's death
Saint Laurent's last belongings sold as his dog looks on
Fans rally behind Cat Stevens after comeback boos
Florida Policeman Shoots Pit Bull With Stun Gun, Saves Chicken
Historic Canadian Church Being Relocated To Louisiana
Poverty, corruption key in Afghan war: Oxfam
Ex-Latvian president challenges rivals on top EU job
NASA, Microsoft take Web surfers to Mars
US anger at new age rules for breast cancer tests
British govt to unveil new plans ahead of election
Intel's Otellini worries about PC "pinch points"
South Sudan violence kills 12, injures minister
14,700 declare foreign accounts under US tax amnesty
South Sudan violence kills 12, injures minister
| International
|
Former SS member, 90, charged over Nazi massacre
Virtual pioneers: Macedonia schools to get wired
Israel's Peres: Chavez, Ahmadinejad will fall
Hong Kong unveils long-awaited democracy blueprint
| International
|
Last chance prep talks wrap up ahead of Copenhagen
Iran sentences 5 to death in postelection turmoil
'Dozens' of layoffs at Associated Press: Guild
Sarkozy in Riyadh, says Mideast peace talks 'urgent'
The face that launched a thousand North Korean tirades
| International
|
Israel army punishes troops for settlement protest
Microsoft 'cloud' service Azure to launch January 1
Honduran Congress to vote on Zelaya fate after poll
| International
|
Palestinians, US, UK criticize Jerusalem plan
Cyber laws must punish individuals not society: specialist
Iran warns Saudi Arabia over Yemen offensive
Chile blasts spying comments by Peru's Garcia
| International
|
Google image search gets a 'swirl'
Five sentenced to death so far over Iran vote unrest
Al Qaeda Africa wing less a threat to Europe: official
| International
|
T-Mobile admits employee sold private data
NATO, Britain stress Afghan handover plans
EU shuts down ringtone scam sites targeting youngsters
Qualcomm CEO pins hopes on China,
RIM security chief sees smartphone attacks on horizon
| Technology
|
Colo. homeowner nabs suspected burglar in boxers
Intel's Otellini worries about PC pinch points
| Technology
|
Virtual pioneers: Macedonia schools to get wired
| Technology
|
Obama meets Wen as China visit winds down
Judge drops case against family that denied chemo
Four killed in Vietnam by war-era bomb: police
San Antonio rape kits to undergo DNA testing
Japan PM says no sign engineer in Yemen has been freed
Microsoft ordered to stop some Windows sales in China
| Technology
|
Dugard spokeswoman blasts plans for film on case
Obama wraps up China trip with PM talks, Great Wall
US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 841
City trying to make sense of brutal gang rape
Death toll rises to 11 in S.Korea fire
Analysis: Obama's China trip shows power shifting
Ill congressman defends 'savage religion' comment
Majority in US see Afghan war not worth cost: poll
Pakistan army shows off gains near Afghan border
AP source: NYC newspapers' delivery offices raided
Afghans say attack in east shows Taliban strength
Thai diplomats visit alleged spy in Cambodia
Toyota sales show first rise in 15 months: report
Telecom giants converge at Asia's top mobile show
Snakes star in jewelry line from Pitt and Jolie
Morgan Stanley, MUFG to revise brokerage merger
S.Korea banks' Jan-Oct FX lending at $44.5 bln
Seoul KOSPI at 3-wk high on LG Household, Daewoo Sec
South Korean bonds steady ahead of auction, buyback
Seoul shares up; Shinsegae rises on Samsung Life
Chinese demand for platinum 'to hit record high'
Snakes star in jewelry line from Pitt and Jolie
| Entertainment
|
Chinatrust Financial to buy 30 pct of Nan Shan
IMF chief keeps up pressure on China to let yuan rise
China stifles Obama charisma
Janet Jackson blames doctor for Michael's death
| Entertainment
|
Kander and Ebb have a new musical _ off-Broadway
Palin drops strong White House hint
Fox's Major Garrett gets interview with Obama
New Sistine Chapel books to come out in Italy
Broadway revival of 'Oleanna' to close Jan. 3
Michael Jackson 'Moonwalk' glove set to sparkle at auction
Glam, kitsch, rock: Adam Lambert is out to entertain
No takers for fashion house Christian Lacroix: administrator
Sarah Palin coy about 2012 run, but door is open
Israel dismisses U.S. anger at settlement plan
EU-Russia summit tackles thorny gas issue
Video spurs explosion of Internet traffic
Obama vows Afghan exit; battered Karzai to take oath
| International
|
Death of an Iran prison doctor raises suspicion
China defence website gets 2 mln hack attacks: report
North Korea's nuclear plans cloud Obama in Seoul
| International
|
Vancouver to tone down its "sonic gun"
Israel dismisses U.S. anger at settlement plan
| International
|
R u wearing sunscreen? Text reminders can double usage
Seized tanker's captain dies, Alabama attacked again
| International
|
Iraq VP vetoes election law
| International
|
Microsoft ordered to stop some Windows sales in China
Iran detention centre doctor commits suicide: IRNA
| International
|
Afghans see no change to life of hardship, fear
| International
|
India says needs no help to heal Pakistan ties
| International
|
For victims, lengthy Khmer Rouge trial painful
| International
|
Fort Carson honors 15 troops killed in Afghanistan
Small firms scrapping, scaling back health plans
RIM security chief sees smartphone attacks on horizon
| Technology
|
Obama: No exact deadline for closing Gitmo
Smart kidnapper's apology could reap forgiveness
R u wearing sunscreen? Text reminders can double usage
| Technology
|
Obama: Job creation not goal of Dec. 3 jobs forum
AP Poll: Sometimes it isn't easy being green
EU ombudsman rebukes EU over errors in Intel case
| Technology
|
Obama 'probably won't' read Palin's book
SPIN METER: Feds buy green cars, auction rejects
Malaysia defends slide in global graft ranking
Black power has arrived _ with some new challenges
Meteor showers in Asia disappoint
PROMISES, PROMISES: 6 years and still no rules
Hong Kong to consult public on democratic reforms
Shuttle nears space station, docking scheduled
Last Chinese veteran of liberation of France dies
Kudzu-munching bug also threatens US bean crops
Vancouver to tone down its sonic gun
| Technology
|
Bomb left over from Vietnam war explodes, kills 4
Beverly Hills, LA councils ban declawing of cats
Hong Kong unveils long-awaited democracy blueprint
Afghan capital readies for Karzai inauguration
Microsoft told to stop some Windows sales in China
Delta offers JAL $1 bln financial lifeline
Maxis tipped to debut in S.E. Asia's biggest IPO
Pakistani foreign investment falls 21.2 pct
China Mobile says still in iPhone talks with Apple
Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ announces huge share sale
New Moon star Kristen Stewart says be extreme
| Entertainment
|
Tajiks write off $550 million debt owed by farmers
Glam, kitsch, rock: Adam Lambert is out to entertain
| Entertainment
|
MARKETS-KOREA-STOCKS (UPDATE 2)=2
S.Korea gives nod for Apple's iPhone; sales to begin soon
Ex-Kiss drummer: Breast cancer not just for women
US companies throw workers a bone with pet insurance
Putin spared as political satire returns to Russian TV
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Snakes star in jewelry line from Pitt and Jolie
Zhang considers war drama, romance as next project
A model dancer gone: 3 stars advance to finals
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights