国际英语新闻：Afghan forces need more support to take security responsibility: U.S. defense secretary

KABUL, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday said that Afghan national security forces are still in need of more support to fully take the security responsibility from the NATO-led troops based in their country.

Addressing a joint press conference with President Hamid Karzai here he noted that Afghan security forces need "more support to assume the complete responsibility from the international troops."

He also added that the process of transferring security responsibility from the NATO-led troops to Afghan forces is gradual and would begin formally next spring. "The transferring of security from international troops to Afghan forces would formally begin next spring and would be completed by the end of 2014," Gates told a questionnaire at the press conference.

He also added that providing training to Afghan security forces and equipping them would continue by U.S. and its allied nations in NATO beyond 2014.

The U.S. Defense Secretary who arrived in Afghanistan on Tuesday also expressed satisfaction over improving capability of Afghan security forces and achievements, saying Afghan troops have been playing lead role in military operations conducted with international troops and that is why today the threats of al-Qaida and terrorists have reduced.

He also described President Karzai as one of the close allies of U.S., saying working with his government is for the interests of both the countries.

Gates is the third foreign dignitary visiting Afghanistan over the past one week. Previously President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Afghanistan.

Speaking at the press conference, President Karzai said that in talks with Defense Secretary the situation in Afghanistan and transferring security responsibility to Afghan troops came under discussion.