UK Defense Secretary to visit Kazakhstan

February 27 UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is to arrive in Astana to discuss defense policy and security issues in Central Asia as well as the status of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Interfax – Kazakhstan reports, citing the country’s Foreign Ministry. ISAF has been deployed since 2001 under the authority of the UN Security Council (UNSC) which authorised the establishment of the force to assist the Afghan government "in the maintenance of security in Kabul and its surrounding areas, so that the Afghan Interim Authority as well as the personnel of the United Nations can operate in a secure environment.” “Mr. Hammond is expected to meet the leadership of Kazakhstan. The Defense Secretary will broach the subject of transferring the function of maintaining security in Afghanistan to the Afghan forces and possible evolution of the issues after 2015”, the statement reads. Besides, Mr. Hammond will discuss transit of military personnel and movable property across Kazakhstan.