Questions and answers session with the NATO Secretary General on NATO's strategy in Afghanistan

OANA LUNGESCU (NATO Spokesperson): Please introduce yourselves for the questions. BBC.

Q: Mr. Secretary General, Matthew Price from the BBC. You just said that the Afghan forces are on track to take full responsibility by 2014, but if your top commanders on the ground don't trust those Afghan forces enough in order to continue automatically sending out joint patrols, how can that be the case? Isn't your policy in tatters?

ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN (NATO Secretary General): Let me stress that our partnership with the Afghan Forces continues, and we will continue to operate together. So our strategy remains the same. I've spoken to General Allen about the measures that he has put in place to protect our troops. These measures are prudent and temporary, in response to the current situation. We have said all along that we will take every step necessary to minimize the risks to our troops and that's what we are doing. And let me be clear. We remain committed to our strategy. And we remain committed to our goal of seeing the Afghans fully in charge of their own security by the end of 2014. So that is the bottom line. The goal is unchanged, the strategy remains the same, and the timeline remains the same.

OANA LUNGESCU: Associated Press.

Q: Slobo Lekic, Associated Press. Isn't this suspension of joint operations with the Afghan Army a tacit admission that the insurgents are now dictating events and that they have actually regained the strategic initiative in Afghanistan?

ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: No, not at all. Actually, the fact that it is possible as a temporary measure to suspend some partnered activities reflect that Afghan Security Forces are able to operate on their own. We will continue to partner, to assist, to give advice, to train Afghan Security Forces. In some cases it may be that direct partnering will be suspended, which reflects that Afghan Security Forces are able to operate on their own.
So, again, I wold like to stress that the measures taken aim at reducing the risks for our troops. That's a responsibility of our commanders. But these measures don't change the overall strategy. It remains the same; that we will continue to hand over in a gradual process lead responsibility for the security to the Afghan Security Forces and that process will be completed by the end of 2014. And our ISAF combat mission will end by the end of 2014. Nothing has changed.

OANA LUNGESCU: Thank you very much.