New German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, speaking in Afghanistan on Sunday, said she was keen for Germany to "complete what has been started" in the country, dpa reported. Germany is planning to contribute up to 800 troops to an international effort to advise and train Afghan government forces, once NATO troops end their combat mission in late 2014. Von der Leyen, speaking in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, where German troops are based, said: "A lot has been achieved here, and we want to secure that." On Saturday, Afghanistan and NATO began talks on the status of foreign troops after the withdrawal of combat forces.
