France will host an international conference on Afghanistan next month to enlist neighbouring countries in a stepped-up effort for peace, the French foreign ministry said Thursday. The United States and other big powers are expected to attend the December 14 meeting in Paris, held six months after a donors' conference raised 20 billion dollars (16 billion euros) for reconstruction.
The meeting "will focus solely on relations between Afghanistan and countries of the region," French foreign ministry spokesman Frederic Desagneaux said. The list of countries invited to take part was not released.