US National Security Advisor to Visit China, India This Week

WASHINGTON (NNN-APP) -- U.S. National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon will travel to China and India this week, beginning Friday with a visit to Beijing, the White House said.

In Beijing, President Obama’s top security advisor will have meetings with Chinese leaders and policymakers, including Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo.

“Donilon will discuss a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual concern,” a White House statement said. From Beijing, Donilon will travel to India for meetings with Indian leaders, including National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon.

“Donilon and Indian leaders will review recent developments in the U.S.-India strategic partnership, and discuss ways to advance key elements of the relationship, including both countries’ participation in the upcoming East Asia Summit.”

The statement said the National Security Advisor’s visit “underscores this Administration’s commitment to growing U.S. leadership in Asia, and our work with emerging powers, such as China and India, as a core component of this commitment.”

U.S. officials have not specified agenda of Donilon’s talks in Beijing and New Delhi but it can be safely assumed that Afghanistan would figure in the talks as the visit of the senior U.S. official takes place ahead of an important regional conference on Afghanistan, being held in Istanbul on November 2.

The U.S. and NATO are looking to find ways to stabilize the country, after a decade of conflict that started in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks. The Istanbul conference is likely to bring to table issues relating to the transition in Afghanistan, including Afghan security, recruitment, training and equipment of Afghan security forces, as well as the reconciliation process. The conference will also focus on regional economic cooperation.

The Istanbul moot will be followed by December ‘Bonn 10’ Conference, which is expected to convene more than 1,000 delegates from 90 nations, international organizations and the United Nations.

According to US Institute of Peace, the conference will discuss the transfer of responsibility for security to the Afghan government by 2014 as set by NATO, international commitment to Afghanistan following this handover, and the political process vis-a-vis national reconciliation and the integration of former Taliban fighters. -- NNN-APP