SYDNEY - Australia is still waiting on the US to decide its post-2014 troop commitment to Afghanistan before announcing how many Australian troops will remain, Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith says.

Speaking after meeting US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Washington, Mr Smith said Australia remained willing to assist with training of Afghan officers.

Australia was also ready to contribute Special Forces to either assist with training or to conduct counter-terrorism operations under an appropriate mandate.

"But the US is still working its way through what we would call the status of forces agreement with Afghanistan, what Afghanistan calls a bilateral security arrangement," Mr Smith told Sky News.

"Officials indicated that the US continues to work its way through the drawdown of US troops and how many US personnel will be left behind after 2014."

Mr Smith said he told Mr Hagel that Australia saw a Special Forces contribution as a useful means to continue to co-operate with the US and also prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a safe haven for terrorists.

Most Australian troops are set to come home from Afghanistan by year's end.

However, the government has repeatedly stated that a limited number of troops could remain to provide ongoing assistance as Afghanistan forces take full responsibility for the country's security.

Mr Smith has said previously the starting point is an agreement between Washington and Kabul and only then can Australia and other nations plan their ongoing commitments.

In his talks with Mr Hagel, Mr Smith expressed his condolences for the loss of life in the Oklahoma City tornado.

No Australians had been caught up in the disaster, he said.

Australian soldiers and their families at a US artillery training school 130 kilometers south of Oklahoma City had not been affected, he added. (Agencies)