Mission to include German-led team in Kunduz

The North Atlantic Council has authorized the expansion of the NATO-commanded International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to include the German-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kunduz, effective December 31. The PRT in Kunduz is a pilot project for the further ISAF expansion.

Following is the NATO statement:

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NATO Press Release
19 Dec. 2003

STATEMENT BY THE NATO SPOKESMAN

Today the North Atlantic Council authorised the Supreme Allied Commander, General James Jones, to initiate the expansion of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to include the German-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kunduz. The PRT in Kunduz is a pilot project for the further ISAF expansion.

The PRT in Kunduz will be incorporated into ISAF as a first step of a progressive process, in accordance with a previous decision by the North Atlantic Council to expand ISAF in a flexible manner to include other PRTs in the future.

As of 31 December 2003 the Kunduz PRT will be subject to the ISAF chain of command.

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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)