Washington, May 18: Leaders of the NATO nations, Afghanistan and Pakistan meet in Chicago on Sunday to set in motion the massive transition to end the costly war in Afghanistan and the post-2014 scenario in the country.
“The goal is to have an Afghanistan again that has a degree of stability such that forces like al-Qaeda and associated groups cannot have safe haven unimpeded, which could threaten the region and threaten US and other interests in the world,” US National Security Advisor Tom Donilon said, outlining the issues that would figure at the key summit.
The summit to be attended by President Barack Obama as well as new President of France Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and others would expect to hear that the US and NATO are not abandoning Afghanistan. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari will also attend the summit.
The conference would outline key steps on timeframe of handing over security duties to the newly-raised Afghan Army as well as approve longterm bankrolling of these forces.
With Afghan forces assuming the lead role in 2013 for protecting the country and its government, Donilon said the NATO allies hoped to leave behind “a set of security assets that allow it to provide for that modicum of stability”.
He said steps would be chalked out that will allow Afghanistan to protect itself against Al Qaeda and ensure that the United States' core goal - making sure that Al Qaeda cannot again use Afghanistan as a base from which to target the West - is met.
“So Chicago is a critical milestone in the next step towards a responsible ending of this war, towards our achieving, very importantly, our goals in this effort in Afghanistan,” Donilon said in his briefing on the NATO Summit.
