Australia needs a formal agreement with Afghanistan before it can continue the deployment of about 400 defence personnel there beyond 2014, Defence Minister David Johnston says.
Senator Johnston made that point to visiting Afghan Defence Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi during discussions on the yet-to-be-signed bilateral security agreement and status of forces agreement.
"The minister understands that as an ISAF partner we need certainty in that regard going forward," he told reporters.
"We have said that pending the status of forces agreement finalisation, which we anticipate very soon, we will have approximately 400 defence personnel in non-combatant roles."
The International Security Assistance Force mission concluded at the end of 2014.
For troops to stay on, there need to be legal agreements that, among much else, exempt them from prosecution under Afghan law.
The US, which plans to keep about 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, has negotiated a detailed bilateral security agreement, which needs only the signature of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to come into effect. Australia and other nations plan to use that agreement as the basis for their own agreements.
But President Karzai has declined to sign, saying that should be left to his successor, which will be chosen at the election on April 5. That poll might not produce a conclusive result and could require runoff polls later in the year.
The US says in the absence of agreement soon, it might have no choice but to plan for complete withdrawal. Australia has made no such threat.
Minister Mohammadi said Afghanistan appreciated Australia's efforts during the past 12 years, including the service and sacrifice of Australian soldiers, and wanted that assistance to continue beyond 2014.
"I would like to give the message to the Australian public that your support, your help to the Afghan people has not gone in vain," he said.
