Clinton Seeks World Meeting on Afghanistan

Hillary Clinton has proposed a high-level international conference on Afghanistan sponsored by the United Nations and attended by a wide range of countries including Pakistan and NATO allies. The secretary of State presented the proposal at a NATO meeting in Brussels, where she said the session could be held March 31.

"We hope that this meeting could provide an opportunity to reach a common set of principles on a common way forward," Clinton said. Discussions are under way to have UN chief Ban Ki-moon open the conference. She urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to attend, along with countries with troops in Afghanistan and "key regional and strategic countries"—which appeared to mean Russia and India. (More United Nations stories.)