The Center for American Progress invites you to a press call briefing on Thursday, May 17, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST.
Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, May 17, please join the Center for American Progress and the Right Honorable David Miliband for a press call discussing strategy in Afghanistan ahead of the NATO heads of state summit taking place May 20–21 in Chicago. This discussion will coincide with the release of a new paper by Center analysts Caroline Wadhams, Colin Cookman, and Brian Katulis, “Afghanistan Transition: Elevating the Diplomatic Components of the Transition Strategy at the Chicago NATO Summit and Beyond.”
For the past 18 months, NATO allies have laid out a strategy of responsible transition in Afghanistan—reducing military presence and promoting Afghan sovereignty and responsibility. But missing from the Chicago conference’s agenda is a focus on the political dimensions of transition planning.
With Afghan presidential elections approaching in 2014, the Afghan state still heavily dependent on international assistance, Afghan security force performance and cohesion uncertain, and negotiations with insurgent rivals to the Afghan government stalled, the authors call for a strategy that places a more inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan at the center of U.S. and NATO efforts. The late inclusion of Pakistan in this conference may offer an opportunity to renew regional and intra-Afghan negotiations on these issues.
A responsible transition to Afghan sovereignty and the drawdown of foreign forces is the right approach for the long-term interests of Afghanistan, the region, and the United States and its NATO partners. But much more work needs to be done to prioritize the steps that will be necessary for a durable resolution to the political issues at the core of the conflict.
WHAT:
Press call to discuss allied policy in Afghanistan, the political and diplomatic steps missing from current transition planning, and the upcoming NATO conference in Chicago.
WHO:
- David Miliband, Member of Parliament and former Foreign Secretary, United Kingdom
- Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
- Colin Cookman, Policy Analyst, Center for American Progress
WHEN:
Thursday, May 17, 2012
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST
Call in: 877.210.8943
Conference ID: 82363080
RSVP:
To RSVP, please contact Christina DiPasquale at 202.481.8181 or [email protected].
** Please note that this call will be recorded. By participating in this call, you consent to being recorded. **
###