Afghan forces must show progress 'within five years

Afghan government forces must make concrete progress towards assuming more responsibility for the security of their country "within five years", the G8 group of nations said Saturday. A summit statement from the leaders of the world's major industrialized nations called on Kabul to "expand the capacity of the Afghan National Security Forces to assume increasing responsibility for security within five years." The government must also "combat corruption, address illicit drug production and trafficking, improve human rights, improve provision of basic services and governance and make concrete progress to reinforce the formal justice system." "Clear steps by Afghanistan towards more credible, inclusive and transparent parliamentary elections in September will be an important step forward in the country's maturing democracy," the G8 statement said. President Hamid Karzai's government is Kabul is kept in power by a US-led international military coalition, and Western capitals are trying to help it gain enough strength and legitimacy to govern with less outside support.