Obama: Afghanistan can move to new phase

WASHINGTON, July 14 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama said Tuesday Afghanistan can move into a new phase of development following upcoming elections.

During a question and answer session with reporters after his Oval Office meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, Obama said Afghanistan is taking more responsibility for its own security "and if we can get through a successful election in September and we continue to apply the training approach to the Afghan security forces and we combine that with a much more effective approach to economic development inside Afghanistan, then my hope is, is that we will be able to begin transitioning into a different phase in -- in Afghanistan."

Balkenende echoed Obama's sentiments, saying combining defense, diplomacy and development -- the so-called "3D" approach -- is the most effective approach,

Obama praised the Netherlands as an essential part of the coalition effort in Afghanistan, noting al-Qaida doesn't differentiate the Western nations and will attack Western Europe as venomously as it will attack U.S. interests.