Italian defense minister meets U.S. Army Gen. Petraeus in Milan

Italian Minister of Defense Ignazio La Russa (R) and the current commander of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, US General David Petraeus give a joint press conference following their meeting on October 16, 2010 in Milan. Petraeus will take part in Rome on October 18 in a meeting of the International Contact Group that will bring together top diplomats to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, including 10 representatives of Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member states. (Photo : OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images)

October 18, 2010 (KATAKAMI / PEOPLE'S DAILY ONLINE) --- Italian Minister of Defense Ignazio La Russa met Commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, U.S. General David H. Petraeus, in Milan on Saturday, local media reported on Sunday.

During the meeting held in the command of the First Air Region, La Russa confirmed the Italian government's commitment to follow up ISAF's strategy.

Speaking at a press conference at the end of the meeting, La Russa said that he didn't talk with Petraeus about exit strategies or dates, as thinking of an exit strategy "means to advantage terrorists."

"I prefer to talk about goals instead," he said, adding that Italy's goal is to return the Afghan territory to local government and army, so that they themselves can continue in counter-terrorist action and start a phase of normalization.

Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, smiles upon his arrival to attend a meeting with Italian Defense Minister Igniazio La Russa in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010. (Getty Images /AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In La Russa's view, 2011 may be a decisive year, because the reconstruction plan in the west part of Afghanistan is continuing.

"I think that before the end of 2011 several districts of the West will be delivered. Herat, for example, is already an area that could be ready," he said.

The number of Italian soldiers, he added, is to rise to 4,000 by the end of 2010, and there is the possibility for an additional increase of trainers in the first months of 2011.

La Russa said that he hasn't discuss with the ISAF commander about weaponry of Italian airplanes, an issue that the Italian minister has raised in the past days after the killing of four Italian soldiers in Afghanistan.

"We both know the situation. NATO and ISAF expect, hope indeed, all crafts to have a complete armament, and this issue will be handled in Lisbon," he pointed out.

During their meeting, La Russia and Petraeus also talked about the NATO-supported negotiations between the Karzai government and the Taliban.

"We support this initiative because we know that the reconciliation is fundamental, but Taliban must meet the conditions that Karzai has put clearly: lay down arms, stop the violence, cut ties with al-Qaeda, walk away from international terrorism and accept the Afghan constitution," he said.

On Monday, Petraeus will be in Rome for a meeting with Italy's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Source: Xinhua

NATO helped bring Taliban official to Kabul: Gen. Petraeus

U.S. Army General David Petraeus addresses member of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), in central London, October 15, 2010. (Reuters/Dan Kitwood/Pool )

October 15, 2010 . (KATAKAMI / Reuters) - NATO-led forces facilitated the passage of a senior Taliban commander to Kabul to hold talks with the Afghan government, the commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan said on Friday.

General David Petraeus, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said the move was part of U.S. and NATO support for President Hamid Karzai's reconciliation discussions with the Taliban.

"In certain respect we do facilitate that, given that, needless to say it would not be the easiest of tasks for a senior Taliban commander to enter Afghanistan and make his way to Kabul if ISAF were not....aware of it and therefore allows it to take place," he told an audience in London.

"That's about as far as I can go on that at this point."

Petraeus said several "very senior" Taliban leaders had reached out to the Afghan government and other countries engaged in Afghanistan. However, he said the discussions were preliminary in nature.

"They certainly would not rise to the level of being called negotiations," he said.

U.S. and NATO leaders said on Thursday they were ready to help Afghan President Hamid Karzai pursue reconciliation efforts with the Taliban. Pakistan said on Friday it was willing to assist such talks.

Photostream : Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron meets Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron , right, meets General David Petraeus, left, Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, inside 10 Downing Street, central London Thursday Oct.14, 2010. The talks in London have been overshadowed by revelations that a kidnapped British aid worker may have been killed by her American rescuers _ rather than her Taliban captors as first reported. .(Getty Images / AP Photo/ Daniel Deme, pool)

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (R) speaks to ISAF Commander General David Petraeus (L) at 10 Downing Street in Central London October 14, 2010. ( REUTERS/Pool/Daniel Deme )

General David Petraeus leaves 10 Downing Street after meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron on October 14, 2010 in London, England. Petraeus, the top US commander in Afghanistan, has called for an investigation into the death of British aid worker Linda Norgrove, who was held hostage in Afghanistan. Ms Norgrove died after a failed rescue opperation by US forces on October 8, 2010 in Afghanistan. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

U.S. General David Petraeus leaves Downing Street after his meeting with Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron in London October 14, 2010. ( REUTERS/Toby Melville )

General David Petraeus leaves 10 Downing Street in London Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010. British Prime Minister David Cameron raised the case of a slain British aid worker in a Downing Street meeting Thursday with NATO's top commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. David Petraeus. Cameron earlier this week revealed that Linda Norgrove, a kidnapped British aid worker, may have been killed by her American rescuers _ rather than her Taliban captors as first reported. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

Karzai, Petraeus Visit South Afghanistan

Gen. David Petraeus, left, the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry listen to Afghan President Hamid Karzai as he talks to Afghans in Argandab district of Kandahar province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010. (GettyImages)



October 09, 2010 (KATAKAMI) --- Afghan President Hamid Karzai and top U.S. General David Petraeus are visiting the southern province of Kandahar, where coalition forces are engaged in a major operation against the Taliban.

U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry also is accompanying the Afghan president, who is expected to meet with tribal elders Saturday to rally support for his government and for international forces.

NATO and Afghan troops are trying to drive the Taliban out of its southern stronghold with a military offensive called Operation Dragon Strike.

In another development, the British Foreign Ministry says a British aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan was killed by her captors during a rescue attempt.  Linda Norgrove and three Afghan colleagues were abducted September 26 in the eastern province of Kunar.

Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed "deep sadness" in a statement Saturday confirming Norgrove's death.

Also, a spokesman for Italy's Defense Ministry, General Massimo Fogari, says four Italian troops were killed and another was wounded in an attack in western Afghanistan.  He said the soldiers' convoy was first struck by a roadside bomb, before insurgents attacked with gunfire.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he was saddened by the "tragic ambush."

Italy has about 3,400 soldiers in Afghanistan, deployed mostly in the west.

On Friday, a bomb blast at a mosque in northern Afghanistan killed 13 people, including the governor of Kunduz, Mohammad Omar, who frequently spoke out against the Taliban and had escaped at least two previous attempts on his life.



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