G-8 foreign ministers meet with counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan

The foreign ministers of
Afghanistan and Pakistan are to meet their Group of Eight
counterparts today amid concern that acrimony between
the two Asian neighbors is helping the Taliban inflict
mounting losses on NATO troops and Afghan civilians.
According to the Associated Press, thGerman Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose country holds the G-8 presidency, helped broker the meeting
with Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta and his
Pakistani counterpart, Khurshid Kasuri, during a trip to
both countries this month.
«It is indispensable for improving the security situation
in the area that Afghanistan and Pakistan cooperate better
... in protecting the borders,» Steinmeier said.
Other officials on hand included U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov.
-- SPA