, CNN // Afghanistan Crossroads, 7 February 2011

EXCERPT: "Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday that a critical phase in the transfer of security authority from international to domestic forces would begin March 21, a precursor to a planned full handover three years hence. Karzai made the announcement during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of diplomatic and military leaders from Western and other nations. 'We are determined to demonstrate Afghan leadership and ownership of the transition process,' he said. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an interview conducted with conference organizers and posted on its website, explained this move next month marks the start of 'a gradual transition to lead Afghan responsibility - province by province, district by district.' Thus, Afghans may take over full control in some locales relatively soon, while the process may take much longer elsewhere."

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Related articles:
Karzai pushes for greater financial control, The Wall Street Journal, 7 February 2011
, The New York Times, 6 February 2011
Karzai sets March 21 as start of security transfer to Afghan forces, VOA News, 6 February 2011
, The Washington Post, 6 February 2011

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