Afghan forces are ready to take responsibility for security in 2013, the country's defence ministry says, in response to a pledge by French President-elect Francois Hollande to withdraw his country's troops from Afghanistan early. 

"For us a NATO stance is more important than individual decisions by individual nations," ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi told the AFP news agency. 

"And Afghanistan is well prepared to take over all security responsibilities in 2013."