The US defence department Pentagon has said the date for handing over security responsibilities to Afghan forces in 2014 was a target and not a deadline. The statement comes just before the meeting of the US President and NATO leaders in Portugal to stress the 2014 timeline for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.Pentagon spokesman, Geoff Morrell, told reporters at a news conference that while, the US and NATO may hand over security responsibilities to Afghan forces in most of the provinces in Afghanistan by 2014, some forces may stay on to prop up and advice the Afghan forces. The idea for a transfer of security in four years was first brought up by the Afghan President Hamid Karzai earlier this year.