No 10: PM supports US withdrawal

Thursday, 23 June 2011 12:00 AM

A Downing Street spokesperson explains the collaborative relationship between David Cameron and Barack Obama over Afghanistan and Libya:

"The prime minister and President Obama spoke this afternoon and discussed the situation in Afghanistan and Libya.

"The president briefed the prime minister on his latest thinking on the situation on the ground, the implications for the timing of the withdrawal of the US surge and progress on the political track. The prime minister fully agreed the president's assessment, noting the good progress being made on security transition.

"The prime minister and president agreed that in due course the progress on transition would make it possible to sustain pressure on the insurgency while allowing a progressive reduction in ISAF force levels.

"The prime minister reaffirmed that UK forces will no longer be in a combat role in Afghanistan by 2015 and that decisions on the scale and timing of reductions over the intervening period would be based on conditions on the ground.

"On Libya, the president and the prime minister agreed that the operation was progressing well and that pressure on Gaddafi was building.

"Both agreed to remain in close touch in the coming weeks."

Tags:
• afghanistan
,
• issue of the day