French President Nicolas Sarkozy said his country would resume training mission in Afghanistan, but added that the troops would withdraw from the war-torn country by the end of 2013.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said his country would resume training mission in Afghanistan, but added that the troops would withdraw from the war-torn country by the end of 2013.

"The pursuit of the transition and this gradual transfer of combat responsibilities will allow us to plan for a return of all our combat forces by the end of 2013," Sarkozy said at a joint press conference with Afghan President in Paris.

Sarkozy said that 1,000 French troops would return in 2012. Last year, he said that 600 troops would come home this year.
The French President had threatened last week a possible early pull-out because of the January 20 shooting of French troops.

The entirety of NATO forces in Afghanistan are due to leave by the end of 2014, however, Sarkozy said that he and Karzai will ask NATO to hand over all combat missions to Afghan troops in 2013.

"We have decided in a common accord with President Karzai to ask NATO to consider a total handling of NATO combat missions to the Afghan army over the course of 2013," Sarkozy said.
Sarkozy said France has informed President Barack Obama of the plans, and will present the plan at a meeting of NATO defence ministers early next month.

A NATO spokeswoman said only: "We take note of the French statement."

KARZAI ON EUROPEAN VISIT
Karzai is on a five-day European trip to sign long-term strategic partnership agreements aimed at bolstering support for Afghanistan's reconstruction and development.

Following France visit, Karzai went to the United Kingdom. He would meet Prime Minister Hamid Karzai, and the two were likely to sign an agreement setting out how their two countries will work together after British combat troops withdraw in 2014.