U.S.officials hope it can be convened before key big-power discussions of the Iranian nuclear issue begin in New York during the third week of this month, on the sidelines of the U.N.General Assembly session.

VOA: standard.2009.09.11

President Obama has been deliberating over military proposals to boost U.S.strength in Afghanistan by as many as 40,000 troops, while the future of Germany's troop presence in Afghanistan was a key issue in the September elections that returned Chancellor Merkel to power.

VOA: standard.2009.11.09