Kerry: Next NATO summit pivotal for future of Alliance

The NATO summit in Wales, UK, next September will be a pivotal time for NATO engagement and responsibilities, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday. "It will be a pivotal time for our Alliance and for transatlantic relationship," he told a press conference after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels tonight. He outlined three key areas on the agenda for the Wales summit. First the way forward in Afghanistan, second the capabilities that NATO will need, and third NATO's partnerships with countries outside the Alliance. He said the ministers discussed today and will discuss in more detail tomorrow the progress made in transition to full Afghan leadership to maintain security in their country. They also underlined a strong commitment to Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces in 2014. "The US is committed to its part in contributing to the new mission to train, advise and assist Afghan Security Forces after 2014," stressed Kerry. He called on Afghanistan to sign the bilateral security agreement with the US "the sooner the better," in order to start the new post-2014 mission. NATO foreign ministers also spoke about how to energize existing partnership frameworks "like the ones that exist in the countries of the Mediterranean and the Gulf and how we can deepen cooperation with our key operational partners, those most capable or willing to deploy with us when and if needed," he said. Both of these objectives will be critical parts of protecting our abilities wherever and whenever needed, added Kerry. NATO foreign ministers will discuss Afghanistan on Friday and meet with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in the framework of NATO-Russia Counci