More Nations to Announce Post-2014 Afghanistan Presence

After the recent announcements by Germany and Sweden to retain limited military footprint in Afghanistan after 2014, an International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) Spokesman on Wednesday said that there are ten other nations to announce their post-2014 presence soon.

The Isaf Spokesman Brigadier General Gunter Katz said that the Nato member countries and ten of its allies are interested to have military presence in Afghanistan after the ISAF mission comes to an end by the end of next year.

"The 28 nation plus ten partner nations declared that they are willing to contribute. Germany and Sweden gave concrete numbers and we are quite confident that other nations will follow soon," said Gen Katz.

Asked whether more foreign countries would announce their willingness after the Australian defence minister on Tuesday said that his country is willing to keep some troops post-2014, Gen Katz said that "there are ten other nations" to announce their post-2014 presence, but added that the Nato headquarters should be able to elaborate.

He didn't mention the names of those countries.

Gen Gunter Katz added that Nato will keep its military presence in Afghanistan after 2014, and asked the Afghan people not to be worried about the situation after 2014.

Speaking after a meeting with the US Secretary of Defence in Washington, the Australian Defence Minister Stephan Smith said his government will continue its mission in Afghanistan within the frameworks of Nato regulations and will keep a number of its special forces.

He said that his country is awaiting a decision from US on their military presence in Afghanistan post 2014.

Australia has 1550 soldiers in Afghanistan and most of them are stationed in the southern provinces, especially in the Urozgan province.

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