US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has not yet decided on how he would advise the president about how many US troops should remain in Afghanistan after 2014, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said on Monday.

"It's entirely premature to speculate on troop numbers in Afghanistan between now and the end of 2014 or beyond," Little said. "In September, we completed the full withdrawal of the 33, 000 surge troops, and we will soon begin considering how we move forward on further troop level adjustments, which will include planning for our post-2014 military and civilian presence in Afghanistan."

Little said that Panetta will speak on Tuesday with John Allen, who commands US and NATO forces in the Central Asian country, to discuss a "range of matters on Afghanistan."

According to agreements between Afghanistan and the United States, the US side can have a presence in Afghanistan after 2014, when Western troops there are scheduled to withdraw.

"Any US presence would only be at the invitation of the Afghan government, and aimed at training Afghan forces and targeting the remnants of al-Qaida," said Little.

On what kind of presence the United States would have in Afghanistan post 2014, President Barack Obama will have the final say, after taking into account recommendations from military leaders and his national security team including Panetta.