KABUL - spokesperson of the Defense Ministry considered the forthcoming Chicago Conference of NATO leaders start of a new phase for Afghanistan.
The spokesperson General Mohammad Zahir Azimi who was addressing a press conference said at the Chicago NATO leader's conference the Lisbon decisions of the NATO leaders will be evaluated.
Another issue of discussions will be the transition of security responsibilities from the international forces to the Afghan security forces.
He declared that the Afghan forces especially the national army could completed the range of 195,000 and it is ready till the end of 2013 to accept all security responsibility of the country.
Azimi touching on the financial support to the security organs added that it is expected that after 2104 USD 4.2 billion is anticipated for their expenses.
It is also anticipated that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan add another USD 500 million to this figure annually to meet the actual expenses of the security forces.
Meanwhile, the issue of equipping, financing and the training of the security forces of Afghanistan will also be debated at the Chicago conference.
He noted that probably Russia and representatives of the Central Asian countries will also attend this conference.
He stressed that we expect that the issue of continuation of aid to Afghanistan a joint statement is issued at the end of this conference as well.
Regarding the quantity of the Afghan security forces he said that currently we are in contact with the international community and we have agreed over 350,000 of which 195,000 will the number of national army that has already been completed.
After 2015 considering the assistance of the international community the number of Afghan national security forces will decrease to 230,000. And the decrease will be conditional to the security situation indeed.
He added that if the security situation allows this reduction will be started from 2015 on gradual basis and if not there will be no decrease at all.
He said that the Defense Ministry of Afghanistan expects the Chicago conference that the Afghan national army should come out of its present status as it is only for ensuring domestic security and it is fully dependent on foreign support from the viewpoints of air force and other equipment and we expect that the Chicago conference reach this agreement that our national gain ability after 2014 to be responsive to domestic and foreign security and equipped in a way that it can carry on its traditional mission that is the duty of an army in a country meaning defense of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
According to another report, Azimi said that the operation of the commando personnel of the national army in Kamdesh district of Nooristan has been completed and added that Kamdesh has been cleared and the enemies have sustained heavy casualties and their several famous commanders have been killed.
Azimi called the operation speedy and precise and added that only the army corps 203 Thunder is continuing its operations in Kkamdesh. (BNA)