Washington, March 24, SPA -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to The Netherlands at the end of March to attend a conference on international plans for stability and reconstruction in Afghanistan, the State Department announced on Monday. “At the invitation of Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to the Netherlands to attend the “International Conference on Afghanistan: a Comprehensive Strategy in a Regional Context” in The Hague on March 31,” the statement said. The conference is a forum for a variety of nations and organizations working in Afghanistan to examine “the current political, security and development issues” in Afghanistan, taking into account both the regional context and the presidential and parliamentary elections planned for 2009 and 2010 respectively. “Building on the achievements of the Conferences held in Bonn, in London and, most recently, in Paris last year, The Hague Ministerial should reaffirm the solid and long-term commitment of the international community to supporting the Government of Afghanistan in shaping a better future for Afghanistan and its people,” the State Department statement said. U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke will accompany Clinton, according to the statement. While in the Netherlands, Clinton will also meet with Foreign Minister Verhagen “to discuss issues of mutual interest,” the State Department said.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/647505