NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that the Afghan security forces have made impressive progress in assuming the responsibility of defending their country and the security transition process will complete by the end of 2014 as scheduled. Addressing a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul today Rasmussen said that Afghan troops are in lead roal in 50 per cent of the Afghanistan and would be ready to take the lead role around the country by mid-2013. He said the NATO forces are committed to hand over full responsibility to them as per the time table. However he also assured that the departure of foreign troops will not create security vacuume in Afghanistan. NATO will remain in traninig role even after the departure of all combat troops from the country in 2014. Rasmussen said strength of the Afghan security forces is increasing day by day and currently they number around 330000. By the end of the year their number will reach upto 3,52,000. Afghan President Hamid Karzai also addressed the press conference. In reply to a question he hinted that the Presidential elections in the country can be preponed in 2013. The five year term of President Karzai will end in 2014.