Related News
Spain to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by 2014
Source: Xinhua |
June 25, 2011, Saturday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
SPANISH Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said yesterday his country would begin to pull troops out of Afghanistan in 2012 with the aim of completing its withdrawal by 2014.
Around 40 percent of the troops will come home in the first half of 2013, Zapatero said after a summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, in remarks carried live by Spainish TV.
Spain currently has 1,500 military personnel in Afghanistan, most of which are involved in training operations, as part of the ongoing NATO operations against the Taliban.
The Spanish leader admitted that these were provisional dates and the withdrawal of Spanish forces will happen, "taking into account the evolution of circumstances, although the plan is quite advanced."
This is the first time Zapatero has mentioned a full withdrawal of Spanish military personal from Afghanistan, in contrast to previous stance that the mission should not be tied to a calendar, but to the fulfilling of objectives.
His declarations came after U.S. President Barak Obama announced Wednesday that the United States would be taking 33,000 troops out of Afghanistan between now and the end of 2012.
Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon said earlier in the week that Spanish troops would be setting up new teams to help with the instruction of Afghan troops who will soon be responsible for the security of their country.
Around 40 percent of the troops will come home in the first half of 2013, Zapatero said after a summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, in remarks carried live by Spainish TV.
Spain currently has 1,500 military personnel in Afghanistan, most of which are involved in training operations, as part of the ongoing NATO operations against the Taliban.
The Spanish leader admitted that these were provisional dates and the withdrawal of Spanish forces will happen, "taking into account the evolution of circumstances, although the plan is quite advanced."
This is the first time Zapatero has mentioned a full withdrawal of Spanish military personal from Afghanistan, in contrast to previous stance that the mission should not be tied to a calendar, but to the fulfilling of objectives.
His declarations came after U.S. President Barak Obama announced Wednesday that the United States would be taking 33,000 troops out of Afghanistan between now and the end of 2012.
Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon said earlier in the week that Spanish troops would be setting up new teams to help with the instruction of Afghan troops who will soon be responsible for the security of their country.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
