Miliband outlines goals for Afghanistan conference at US congressional hearing

Miliband outlines goals for Afghanistan conference

WASHINGTON — British Foreign Secretary David Miliband says he hopes an international conference on Afghanistan will spur a shift in the burden of the country’s security to the Afghan government.

Miliband was speaking at a hearing at the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee about the conference the British government is hosting next week.

He told lawmakers he hoped that the conference also will provide a boost for an Afghan plan to lure Taliban militants away from violence.

Miliband said he expected new contributions from the international community of troops and civilian experts.

At the hearing, U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke also was outlining the U.S. strategy for stabilizing Afghanistan and Pakistan.