A major conference on Afghanistan has begun in the German town of Bonn comprising delegates from 90 countries. Pakistan cancelled its participation after a devastating U.S. assault on alleged Taliban targets in the Jalalabad area, killing instead 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Missing as well are Taliban related groups including three influential members of the former Taliban administration in Afghanistan and delegates of a militant group lead by Afghan strongman Hekmatyar. As the official Afghan delegation of president Karzai has rejected any Afghan representation other than their own, such groups cannot participate officially. Nevertheless, talks with high-ranking Taliban representatives are now taking place behind the scene in Pakistan and Qatar.
The present conference has to prepare for the future of Afghanistan, because complete withdrawal of all foreign troops from that country should take place by 2014. Pakistan's participation at the meeting would have been of much importance for the stabilization of Afghanistan's security, as Pakistan's influence in the Afghan border region is steadily increasing.
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