Germany unsure of Afghan withdrawal in 2014: Merkel
March 12th, 2012 - 10:29 pm ICT by IANSBerlin, March 12 (IANS) Germany was not sure whether its troops would pull out of Afghanistan by 2014, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday during a surprise visit to the country’s troops stationed in Afghanistan.
Merkel asked the Hamid Karzai government to enhance political reconciliation, saying more efforts were needed.
“For that reason, I cannot say we will manage this by 2013-2014. The will is there, we want to succeed and we will work on this,” she was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
Merkel arrived in Afghanistan without public notification, said a government spokesman.
The last time she visited the troops in Afghanistan was in December 2010.
Germany has around 4,900 soldiers in the war-torn country as part of the NATO-led international peacekeeping force.
US and British troops are scheduled to be withdrawn by the end of 2014.
- Germany to give $190 mn to Afghanistan after 2014 - May 17, 2012
- Bonn conference stresses on rebuilding Afghanistan - Dec 05, 2011
- Afghanistan seeks early security handover: Karzai - Mar 16, 2012
- Clinton visits Afghanistan - Jul 07, 2012
- Obama signs cooperation pact with Afghanistan (Lead) - May 02, 2012
- NATO on course for planned Afghan withdrawal: Merkel - May 05, 2012
- Obama makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan - May 02, 2012
- Partnership with Afghanistan to continue after 2014: Ban - May 21, 2012
- Biden says US troops could stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014 if asked - Jan 12, 2011
- Karzai again calls for national reconciliation - Jul 13, 2012
- US "well-positioned" to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July: Gates - Mar 08, 2011
- Eight die in Kabul attack after Obama trip (Second Lead) - May 02, 2012
- Eight killed in Kabul attack after Obama visit (Lead) - May 02, 2012
- Pakistan's discomfort with India makes Afghan accord hard: US - May 02, 2012
- Spanish troops to start leaving Afghanistan in January - Dec 07, 2011
Tags: angela merkel, berlin, british troops, chancellor angela merkel, germany, government spokesman, hamid karzai, last time, nato, political reconciliation, public notification, surprise visit, troops in afghanistan, xinhua