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William Hague reaffirms UK's commitment to Afghanistan Cameron: Afghanistan troops 'home sooner if possible'
(about 2 hours later)
Foreign Secretary William Hague says the UK will work with the Afghan people "for many years to come". UK troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan ahead of the 2015 deadline "where conditions on the ground allow", David Cameron has said.
Mr Hague, in Afghanistan for a three-day visit, was speaking as US President Barack Obama announced a 10,000 US troop withdrawal this year. On Wednesday US President Barack Obama announced 10,000 US troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan this year.
All UK troops will have been withdrawn from combat roles by 2015. UK forces are to withdraw from combat roles by 2015.
Mr Hague said there was more to do in security and reconciliation, as well as making economic progress and fighting corruption. The PM said force levels were under "constant review" and the success of the US "surge" meant Afghans could start taking over security from July.
He said he had seen "positive changes" in Lashkar Gah, which he visited during a joint trip with the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan. In a speech on Wednesday night, President Obama announced 10,000 US troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan this year and another 23,000 by the end of September 2012 - 68,000 will remain for now.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said France would begin to withdraw 4,000 soldiers from the country.
'Political solution'
The British military has the second largest number of troops in Afghanistan after the US - current force levels are 9,500 - more than 10,000 if special forces are included.
In May Mr Cameron said about 400 troops would be withdrawn in the year to February 2012. He has said British combat troops will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Speaking after President Obama's speech he said he welcomed the US announcement: "The surge by the US and international partners, supported by an increase in the number of Afghan army and police, has reversed the momentum of the insurgency and created the right conditions for security responsibility to begin to transfer to the Afghans from July.
"We will keep UK force levels in Afghanistan under constant review. I have already said there will be no UK troops in combat roles in Afghanistan by 2015 and, where conditions on the ground allow, it is right that we bring troops home sooner."
He added the UK would work with Afghanistan and others to achieve a "military and political solution" in Afghanistan.
Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is visiting Afghanistan, told BBC Radio 4 there had been in contact with the Taliban as part of efforts at "political reconciliation", and Britain was "connected to that and supportive of that".
'Absolute timeline'
He told the Today programme: "It is the case that efforts to arrive at a political reconciliation in Afghanistan must run alongside our military efforts and indeed the military efforts - the improvement of security on the ground - are part of keeping up the pressure for such a reconciliation to take place."
While there was more to do in security and reconciliation, as well as making economic progress and fighting corruption, he said he had seen "positive changes" in Lashkar Gah, which he visited during a joint trip with the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
"Undoubtedly there will be difficulties ahead, but the confident Afghan security leadership I was able to witness is greatly encouraging, not only for Afghanistan's security but also for our own," he said."Undoubtedly there will be difficulties ahead, but the confident Afghan security leadership I was able to witness is greatly encouraging, not only for Afghanistan's security but also for our own," he said.
"The [Operational Command and Co-ordination Centre] leads on security in central Lashkar Gah with UK and international partners' support, this role will continue to develop throughout transition," he said. In a BBC documentary the head of the British Army, General Sir Peter Wall, appeared to question the 2015 deadline for withdrawing British troops.
'Keeping up pressure' While he stressed that the Army was "committed to deliver against that deadline" he added: "Whether or not it turns out to be an absolute timeline or more conditions-based approach nearer the time, we shall find out".
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the foreign secretary said the UK had been involved in talks with the Taliban. But his predecessor, Lord Dannatt said his comments had been taken out of context. He told the BBC: "Undoubtedly conditions on the ground are really important to guide what the military does, but the government of the day has made it quite clear that by 2015 our combat operations will have ended.
"It is the case that efforts to arrive at a political reconciliation in Afghanistan must run alongside our military efforts and indeed the military efforts - the improvement of security on the ground - are part of keeping up the pressure for such a reconciliation to take place." "That's the government's decision. Peter Wall understands exactly what I am saying, that this situation is essentially one with a political outcome. Of course conditions on the ground determine the speed at which you can do things, but it's been made quite clear that we will have stopped our combat role by 2014-2015."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed President Obama's announcement about US troop withdrawals. The Taliban has said more serious steps than those outlined by President Obama were needed "to stop this pointless bloodshed".
He said: "The surge by the US and international partners, supported by an increase in the number of Afghan army and police, has reversed the momentum of the insurgency and created the right conditions for security responsibility to begin to transfer to the Afghans from July." In a statement issued to the media, it said: "The solution for the Afghan crisis lies in the full withdrawal of all foreign troops immediately and (while) this does not happen, our armed struggle will increase from day to day."
Mr Cameron said UK force levels would be kept "under constant review".
The prime minister went on: "I have already said there will be no UK troops in combat roles in Afghanistan by 2015 and, where conditions on the ground allow, it is right that we bring troops home sooner.
"We remain side by side with Afghanistan and our international partners to achieve a military and political solution in Afghanistan that will allow the Afghan people to take full responsibility for their own sovereignty and national security."
These sentiments were echoed by General Sir David Richards, chief of the defence staff, who said President Obama's statement had been made possible "made possible by the surge of US and ISAF forces, coupled with the ever growing numbers and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces".
"Across the country, the insurgency is under real and sustained pressure," he said
General Richards said the Afghan army and police are "increasingly able to plan, direct and execute operations to provide security for their own people".
It comes after Mr Obama's announcement in which he said 33,000 US "surge" troops will leave by September 2012.
The US currently has about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan overall.The US currently has about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan overall.
Divisions remain within the Obama administration over the size and speed of the pullout.Divisions remain within the Obama administration over the size and speed of the pullout.