But the NATO secretary-general noted that international troops will hand over security control of the last Afghan provinces to Afghan forces by the middle of next year. He said starting in mid-2013, Afghan security forces will "take the lead" and coalition troops will gradually change from "combat to support." He said "in that, there is nothing new." Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters traveling to Brussels with him that "hopefully by the mid-to-latter part of 2013 we will be able to make a transition from a combat role to a training, advise and assist role." French President Sarkozy announced earlier this month that his country will withdraw its combat forces from Afghanistan in 2013, a year earlier than planned.
北约秘书长拉斯穆森说，尽管美国和法国最近宣布了提前结束阿富汗作战使命，北约向阿富汗移交安全责任的时间表仍然有效。美国国防部长帕内塔和法国总统萨科齐都曾经表示，联军应当提前一年，即在2013年停止在阿富汗作战，在2014年转而为阿富汗军队提供训练和顾问。星期四，拉斯穆森在北约各国国防部长在布鲁塞尔开会前表示，北约将遵守原先达成的计划，在2014年底之前结束在阿富汗的行动。
但是拉斯穆森指出，国际联军将在明年中期之前把最后几个阿富汗省份的安全控制交给阿富汗军队。他说，2014年中期开始，阿富汗军队将处于领导地位，联军将逐步从作战改为支持性作用。他说，这一方面没有任何改变。星期三，帕内塔在飞往布鲁塞尔途中发表了有关评论。他对随访的记者说，希望能在2013年中期或后半年从作战转入训练、顾问和协助。法国总统萨科齐本月早些时候宣布，法国将在2013年从阿富汗撤出作战部队。这比原先的计划早一年。
