阿富汗可能会提前举行总统大选以确保阿富汗民众不是在外国军队撤出阿富汗的同时前往投票站投票。阿富汗总统卡尔扎伊星期四在喀布尔与北约秘书长拉斯穆森召开的联合记者会上提出了在明年，而不是2014年，举行总统大选的可能。卡尔扎伊说，他与身边的核心领导层讨论了提前举行大选的可能性，但还没有做出决定。卡尔扎伊需要在2014年卸任，但此时正值国际作战部队计划撤离阿富汗的时候。人们担心，阿富汗举行总统大选再加上阿富汗军队完全接管安全防务职责可能会让阿富汗承担过多压力。
卡尔扎伊2009年赢得第二个五年任期。阿富汗宪法禁止卡尔扎伊谋求第三次连任。在星期四的记者招待会上，北约秘书长拉斯穆森说，联军正按计划在2014 年底前将安全责任全面移交给阿富汗安全部队。拉斯穆森说，随着外国军队的撤走，阿富汗部队领导安全事务的能力在日益增强。他还说，即使外国作战部队撤走后，北约对阿富汗的承诺仍然是强有力的。拉斯穆森说，下一阶段的移交工作计划将于下个月北约在美国城市芝加哥召开峰会时制定出来。目前有关美国与阿富汗战略协议的谈判正在进行。该协议将列出2014年后美国在阿富汗的存在的纲要。
Afghanistan could be headed for early presidential elections to ensure Afghans are not going to the polls at the same time foreign troops are pulling out. Afghan President Hamid Karzai raised the possibility of holding a vote next year - and not in 2014 - during a news conference Thursday with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Kabul. Mr. Karzai said he has discussed the possibility with his inner circle but that no decision has yet been made. The Afghan leader is required to step down in 2014, just as international combat forces are scheduled to leave the country. There have been concerns the combination of an election just as Afghan forces are taking over complete responsibility for security could put the country under too much strain.
President Karzai won a second five-year term in 2009. The Afghan constitution bars him from seeking re-election. During Thursday's press briefing, NATO's secretary-general said the coalition was on track to fully hand over security responsibility to Afghan security forces by the end of 2014, as scheduled. Rasmussen said that Afghan forces were increasingly capable of taking the lead as foreign troops leave. He also said NATO's commitment to Afghanistan will remain strong even after foreign combat troops withdraw. Rasmussen said the next phase of the transition will be mapped out at next month's NATO summit in the U.S. city of Chicago. Negotiations are currently underway on a U.S.-Afghan strategic agreement that will outline the U.S. presence in the country beyond 2014.
