Washington: French President Francois Hollande on Friday said that he would carry out his pledge to withdraw combat forces from Afghanistan by year’s end, two years earlier than the U.S. ally once planned. He made the declaration to President Barack Obama in the Oval Office, media reported on Friday.
Hollande spoke at the White House following his first meeting with President Barack Obama. The two leaders met before heading to the G-8 economic summit later Friday.
Hollande said that he stands by a campaign promise to withdraw troops, but said France will keep supporting Afghanistan in a “different way.” The war, more than a decade old, draws even less public support in France than in the United States.
“I reminded President Obama of the commitment that I made to the French people — the withdrawal of combat troops between now and the end of 2012,” Hollande told reporters as Obama sat beside him. “I also specified that there will still be support for Afghanistan. … We will be able to respect our commitment while applying it differently.”
Obama nodded but did not directly respond when Hollande described their conversation on Afghanistan.
“We agreed that even as we transition out of a combat phase in Afghanistan that it’s important that we sustain our commitment to helping Afghans build security and continue down the path of development,” Obama said.
On Afghanistan, a compromise appeared likely that would see 3,300 French troops shift from combat roles earlier than once planned, but leave some French presence in Afghanistan in a different role.
Hollande, elected May 6, is insisting on rethinking a European austerity treaty. But he also is trying to convince Obama and other leaders at the Group of Eight economic summit that his position will not worsen the debt crisis.
Obama was taking the measure of the new French leader whose campaign promises run counter to U.S. policy on both economic issues and Afghanistan.
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