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Today has been a very productive day. We have just discussed the road ahead in Afghanistan.
We discussed it with NATO’s 28 Allies, with 22 non-NATO members of ISAF, with the Afghan
foreign and defence ministers, with the European Union High Representative, with the United
Nations Special Representative. And the foreign minister of Japan.
All this to stress that this is truly a world-wide effort. At our summit in Chicago, one month
from now, all these countries and organisations will come together at the highest level. Other
countries who have an interest in Afghanistan’s stability will join us too. I expect the leaders
of around 60 countries and international organisations to join us. This will be the biggest summit
NATO has ever held.
And the reason is simple: Afghanistan is a concern for the whole world. We all want to
see a country that is safer, stronger and more stable. That is what we are building
together. And we are making progress.
We are making progress on the ground. We have now trained more than 330,000 Afghan security
forces. Afghan soldiers and police are providing security for areas where half the country’s
population lives – and I expect them to step forward in more areas soon, as transition
takes hold across the country.
We are also seeing progress in our long-term relationship. A number of Allies have concluded,
or are concluding, strategic agreements with Afghanistan. These agreements provide a strong
foundation for Afghanistan’s future security.
And we are seeing progress in the international support for Afghanistan’s long-term transformation
and reconstruction – putting in place the agreements reached at the Bonn Conference
in December, and paving the way for the Tokyo Conference in July.
All these strands will come together in Chicago, as NATO and our partners set out how we will
make sure the transition to Afghan security responsibility succeeds by the end of 2014
– and how we will support Afghanistan once transition is completed.
For NATO, that will mean approving a concrete and concerted plan for managing the final
stages of transition, as the main focus of our efforts shifts from combat to training,
advice and assistance. And it will mean approving a plan for our engagement after the end of
transition in 2014.
For the international community, it will mean setting out how to support Afghanistan once
transition is complete. That will include funding sustainable and sufficient Afghan
security forces. NATO and our ISAF partners will carry our fair share of that task. But
of course, this is a commitment for the whole international community.
And for our Afghan partners, it will mean making sure that they carry through their
own commitments -- strengthening democracy and the rule of law, supporting human rights,
including women’s rights, and tackling corruption.
We all want to see a secure Afghanistan in a stable region. And our continued commitment
to that goal is clear.
And with that, I am ready to take your questions.