NATO Summit: Prepares Road Map, Joint Exit Strategy for Afghanistan

The two-day summit of the 28-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was held in Chicago, first on the US soil in more than a decade. Approximately 60 world leaders, including presidents of the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan have gathered to attend one of the biggest NATO summits in history. Despite a myriad of issues facing the 63-year-old organization founded in the wake of the Second World War as it confronts shifting 21st-century realities, the Chicago summit is set to be dominated by Afghanistan.

The Chicago summit was significant as President Barack Obama has announced that all combat operations led by the US forces will cease in the summer of 2013 and the NATO forces would move to a “support role.” The summit aimed at charting out a road map of international support to Afghanistan and prepare a blueprint for a joint exit strategy.

Afghanistan War

NATO allies declared that the end of a long and unpopular Afghanistan war is in sight even as they struggled to hold their fighting force together as France’s new President announced plans to pull troops out early.

The fate of the war is the centre of the two-day NATO summit that opened in Chicago. The alliance already has one foot out of the Afghanistan door, with the Europeans pinching pennies in a debt crisis and President Obama with an ear attuned to the politics of an economy-driven presidential election year.

Still, some cautioned against following France’s example while others played down stresses in the fighting alliance.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: “There will be no rush for the exits. Our goal, our strategy, our timetable remain unchanged.”

The military alliance is pledged to remain in Afghanistan till 2014, but will seal plans during the summit to shift foreign forces off the front lines a year faster than once planned.

Afghan forces will take the lead throughout the nation next year, instead of in 2014. The shift is in large part a response to the plummeting public support for the war in Europe and the United States, contributors of most of the 130,000 foreign troops now fighting the Taliban-led insurgency. A majority of Americans now say the war is unwinnable or not worth continuing.

Tough Time Ahead

The US president, who was hosting the summit in his hometown and the city where his reelection operation hums, spoke of a post-2014 world when “the Afghan war as we understand it is over.” Until then, though, remaining U.S. and allied troops face the continued likelihood of fierce combat.

Obama said: “We still have a lot of work to do and there will be great challenges ahead. “The loss of life continues in Afghanistan and there will be hard days ahead.”

In fact, the strategy has shifted many times over the course of more than 10 years of war, and the goal narrowed to objectives focused on the long-term security of the mostly Western nations fighting there. The timetable has also moved, despite the overall commitment to keep foreign forces in Afghanistan till 2014.

France’s Stand

Tension over newly elected French President Francois Hollande’s pledge to end his country’s combat mission two years early infused the meeting. German Chancellor Angela Merkel pointedly cited the credo of the allies in the Afghanistan war, “in together, out together,” and her foreign minister cautioned against a “withdrawal competition” by coalition countries.

The Taliban are urging nations fighting in Afghanistan to follow France’s lead and pull their international forces from the war this year.

The Chicago summit called upon all the other NATO member countries to avoid working for the political interests of the US officials and answer the call of your own people by immediately removing all your troops from Afghanistan,” the group said in a statement before the meeting.

Obama-Karzai Meet

Obama said that NATO envisions a decade of transformation after 2014, with the United States still contributing money and forces.

“What this NATO summit reflects is that the world is behind the strategy that we have laid out,” Obama said after lengthy talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. “Now it is our task to implement it effectively.”

Karzai said his nation is looking forward to the end of war, “so that Afghanistan is no longer a burden on the shoulder of our friends in the international community, on the shoulders of the United States and our other allies.”

Despite the stubborn Taliban insurgency, war-weary international forces are seeking to hand control of security to Afghan forces while withdrawing some 130,000 foreign combat troops by the end of 2014.

G8 Summit: Camp David Declaration Addresses Major Economic, Political Challenges

The leaders of the G8 countries of eight most developed countries of the world – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States have met recently in Camp David, Maryland. They addressed major economic and political challenges faced by the world. The G8 summit in Camp David was the first major international event for the new French President Francois Hollande.

Camp David Declaration

The leaders of the summit in their Camp David Declaration recognized the importance of meeting our energy needs from a wide variety of sources ranging from traditional fuels to renewable to other clean technologies. As they reached implement their own individual energy strategies, they embraced the pursuit of an appropriate mix from all of the above in an environmentally safe, sustainable, secure, and affordable manner. They also recognized the importance of pursuing and promoting sustainable energy and low carbon policies in order to tackle the global challenge of climate change.

To facilitate the trade of energy around the world, they committed to take further steps to remove obstacles to the evolution of global energy infrastructure; to reduce barriers and refrain from discriminatory measures that impede market access; and to pursue universal access to cleaner, safer, and more affordable energy. The leaders remained committed to the principles on global energy security adopted by the G8 in St. Petersburg.

The group’s leaders papered over their deep-seated divisions on how best to tackle the Eurozone crisis, and declared that they wanted debt-stricken Greece to remain within the fold. However, they called on Athens to stick to the terms of a massive EU-International Monetary Fund (IMF) cash-for-reforms bailout, now hanging by a thread.

Incidentally, two Indian-Americans — PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi and USAID administrator Raj Shah — were among the few special guests invited by US President

Barack Obama to a G-8 luncheon at Camp David on Saturday. They were invited to take part in a discussion with four African Presidents/PMs invited to the special luncheon. Obama said this was perhaps the first time business leaders attended a G8 summit.

Climate Change Problem

The summit leaders agreed to continue their efforts to address climate change and recognize the need for increased mitigation ambition in the period to 2020, with a view to doing their part to limit effectively the increase in global temperature below 2ºC above preindustrial levels, consistent with science. They strongly supported the outcome of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban to implement the Cancun agreements and the launch of the Durban Platform, which they welcomed as a significant breakthrough toward the adoption by 2015 of a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force applicable to all Parties, developed and developing countries alike.

The leaders agreed to continue to work together in the UNFCCC and other fora, including through the Major Economies Forum, toward a positive outcome at Doha.

Six-Point Settlement Plan

In its “Camp David Declaration”, the Group of Eight also supported six-point plan of the United Nations and Arab League Joint Special Envoy (JSE) Kofi Annan’s settlement plan for Syria and cautioned North Korea against further provocation, besides pledging steps to mitigate the economic impact of the Afghan transition and saying Greece, now battling a crippling debt crisis, should remain in the Eurozone.

The summit leaders supported the efforts of JSE Annan and look forward to seeing his evaluation, during his forthcoming report to the UN Security Council, of the prospects for beginning this political transition process in the near-term. Use of force endangering the lives of civilians must cease.  They called on the Syrian Government to grant safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel to populations in need of assistance in accordance with international law. They welcomed the deployment of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria, and urge all parties, in particular the Syrian government, to fully cooperate with the mission.

The Camp David leaders strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in Syria. They remained deeply concerned about the threat to regional peace and security and humanitarian despair caused by the crisis and remain resolved to consider further UN measures as appropriate.

Incidentally, two Indian-Americans — PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi and USAID administrator Raj Shah — were among the few special guests invited by US President Barack Obama to a G-8 luncheon at Camp David.

Iran and North Korea’s Nuclear Programs

Piling up pressure on Iran, the leaders of the world's eight most powerful economies have asked it to swiftly address all outstanding issues related to its nuclear program and vowed to ensure that crude markets are "fully and timely" supplied despite oil embargo on Teheran.

As Iran faced sanctions, the G8 leaders said increasing disruptions in the global oil supplies "pose a substantial risk" to the world economy.

The G8 leaders remained united in our grave concern over Iran’s nuclear program. They called on Iran to comply with all of its obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions and requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors. They also call on Iran to continuously comply with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including its safeguards obligations.

The summit leaders also called on Iran to address without delay all outstanding issues related to its nuclear program, including questions concerning possible military dimensions.  They desired a peaceful and negotiated solution to concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, and therefore remain committed to a dual-track approach. They welcomed the resumption of talks between Iran and the E3+3 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union High Representative). They called on Iran to seize the opportunity that began in Istanbul, and sustain this opening in Baghdad by engaging in detailed discussions about near-term, concrete steps that can, through a step-by-step approach based on reciprocity, lead towards a comprehensive negotiated solution which restores international confidence that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.

As regards North Korea, the G8 leaders continued to have deep concerns about provocative actions of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) that threaten regional stability. They remained concerned about the DPRK's nuclear program, including its uranium enrichment program.  They condemned the April 13, 2012, launch that used ballistic missile technology in direct violation of UNSC Resolution.

The Camp David leaders urged the DPRK to comply with its international obligations and abandon all nuclear and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner. They called on all UN member states to join the G8 in fully implementing the UNSC resolutions in this regard.

Countering Terrorism

At the summit, G8 leaders condemned transnational organized crime and terrorism in all forms and manifestations. They pledged to enhance our cooperation to combat threats of terrorism and terrorist groups, including Al-Qaida, its affiliates and adherents, and transnational organized crime, including individuals and groups engaged in illicit drug trafficking and production. They stressed that it is critical to strengthen efforts to curb illicit trafficking in arms in the Sahel area, in particular to eliminate the Man-Portable Air Defense Systems proliferated across the region; to counter financing of terrorism, including kidnapping for ransom; and to eliminate support for terrorist organizations and criminal networks.

The G8 leaders urged states to develop necessary capacities including in governance, education, and criminal justice systems, to address, reduce and undercut terrorist and criminal threats, including "lone wolf" terrorists and violent extremism, while safeguarding human rights and upholding the rule of law. They underscored the central role of the United Nations and welcome the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and efforts of the Roma-Lyon Group in countering terrorism.

Growth and Employment Opportunities

“As all the leaders agreed, growth and jobs must be our top priority. A stable, growing European economy is in everybody’s best interests — including America’s,” Obama said after the end of the summit.

“Europe is our largest economic partner. Put simply, if a company is forced to cut back in Paris or Madrid, that might mean less business for manufacturers in Pittsburgh or Milwaukee. And that might mean a tougher time for families and communities that depend on that business,” he said.

“Even as we’ve confronted our own economic challenges over the past few years, we have collaborated closely with our European allies and partners as they’ve confronted theirs,” Obama said.

The US president said he discussed with other leaders the ways for promoting growth and job creation while still carrying out reforms necessary to stabilize and strengthen their economies for the future.

Poverty Alleviation

The Camp David leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, and recognized the vital role of official development assistance in poverty alleviation and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. As such, they welcomed and endorsed the Camp David Accountability Report which records the important progress that the G8 has made on food security consistent with commitments made at the L’Aquila Summit, and in meeting our commitments on global health, including the Muskoka initiative on maternal, newborn and child health. They remained strongly committed to reporting transparently and consistently on the implementation of these commitments.

The next G8 Summit will be held the United Kingdom in 2013.

French Presidential Election: Hollande Defeats Sarkozy, Socialist Returns to Power

France voted in a presidential run-off election on May 6 that could see Socialist challenger Francois Hollande defeat incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy by capitalizing on public anger over the government’s austerity policies.

The election outcome will impact efforts to fight France’s debt crisis, how long the nation’s troops stay in Afghanistan and how France exercises its military and diplomatic muscle around the world.

Sarkozy, punished for his failure to rein in record 10 per cent unemployment and for his brash personal style, is the 11th successive leader in the euro zone to be swept from power since the currency bloc's debt crisis began in 2009.

Jubilant left-wingers celebrated outside Socialist Party headquarters and in Paris' Bastille square, where revelers danced in 1981 when Francois Mitterrand became France's only other Socialist president.

Sarkozy Voted Out

Fifty-seven-year-old Hollande voted in his electoral fief of Tulle, in central France. Live television coverage showed politician shaking hands and chatting with voters on his way into the polling station. He will take office from May 16.

Leftists were overjoyed to have one of their own in power for the first time since Socialist Francois Mitterrand was president from 1981 to 1995.

Sarkozy is the latest victim of a wave of voter anger over spending cuts in Europe that has ousted governments and leaders in the past couple of years.

In Greece, a parliamentary vote on May 6 was seen as critical to the country’s prospects for pulling out of a deep financial crisis felt in world markets. A state election in Germany and local elections in Italy were seen as tests of support for the national governments’ policies.

In France, with 95 per cent of the vote counted, official results showed Hollande with 51.6 per cent of the vote compared with Sarkozy’s 48.4 per cent. The turnout was a strong 81 per cent.

Fall of Strauss-Kahn

Even a year ago, few would have expected to see Socialist candidate Hollande packing his bags for a move into the Elysee Palace.

Former IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was seen as all but certain to be the Socialist candidate in the election, until his stunning fall from grace in May after sexual assault charges in New York.

At the time Hollande, a backroom deal-maker who led the Socialists for 11 years, was perhaps best known as the former partner of the party's telegenic 2007 candidate, Segolene Royal.

But he surged ahead during a US-style primary to beat rival Martine Aubry, appealing to the centre-left with with vows to be a consensus-builder, despite his only experience being as a local official in his adopted Correze region.

He has held an opinion poll lead over Sarkozy from the moment of his nomination and -- notwithstanding a few late surges in support for the incumbent -- never fell behind.

A protege of modernizing former European Commission Chairman Jacques Delors, Hollande is of the generation groomed under the only previous Socialist president, Francois Mitterrand, who left office in 1995.

Next Important Step

Hollande's clear win should give the self-styled "Mr Normal" the authority to press German Chancellor Angela Merkel to accept a policy shift towards fostering growth in Europe to balance the austerity that has fueled anger across southern Europe. His margin also positions the Socialists strongly to win a left-wing majority in parliamentary elections next month, vital to implement his plans for a swift tax reform.

If it wins that two-round election on June 10 and 17, the Socialist Party would hold more levers of power than ever in its

43-year history, with the presidency, both houses of parliament, nearly all regions, and two-thirds of French towns in its hands. Even before the results were declared, cheering crowds gathered at Socialist headquarters to acclaim the party's first presidential victory since Mitterrand's re-election in 1988.

Many waved red flags and some carried roses, the party emblem. In Bastille Square, flashpoint of the 1789 French Revolution and the left's traditional rallying point for protests and celebration, activists began partying two hours before the polls closed.

Hollande has promised more government spending and higher taxes - including a 75-per cent income tax on the rich - and wants to re-negotiate a European treaty on trimming budgets to avoid more debt crises of the kind facing Greece.

Hollande’s Life and Career Graph

Born in 1954 in the northern city of Rouen, Hollande was the son of a doctor with far-right sympathies and of a social worker.

His father later moved the family to Neuilly-sur-Seine, the posh Paris suburb where Sarkozy was also raised.

He was educated at the elite Ecole National d'Administration, where in 1978 he met Royal and the couple started a three-decade relationship.

In 1981, after Mitterrand swept to power, Hollande challenged Jacques Chirac -- who later became French president -- in his parliamentary fiefdom in the rural region of Correze, but lost.

Chirac, who once mocked Hollande as "less well-known than Mitterrand's Labrador", retains affection for his old rival and even said he would vote for the Socialist, though he later passed off his remark as a joke.

Hollande eventually won the seat in 1988 and was reelected in 1997, 2002 and 2007.

In 1997 he took over the Socialist Party leadership, a post he held until 2008 when he was replaced by former Labor Minister Aubry, also the daughter of his former mentor Delors.

Some had pushed for Hollande to take on Sarkozy in the 2007 race but Royal had already emerged as the leading Socialist nominee. The couple, who by then had four children, split before the vote but news of the break-up did not emerge until after Royal's defeat.

Hollande is now in a relationship with political journalist Valerie Trierweiler.

Concerns that Hollande was too mild-mannered and academic to take on Sarkozy disappeared as the race went on and he emerged as a tough campaigner, his speeches sprinkled with dry humor. His performance during the campaign's only face-to-face debate -- when he fended off an increasingly aggressive Sarkozy accusing him of "lies" and "slander" -- was particularly lauded.