Pakistan not invited to NATO summit

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BRUSSELS, May 12 (UPI) -- NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Pakistan has not been invited to the 25th NATO summit in Chicago.

Rasmussen Friday reiterated his call on Pakistan to open NATO ground supply routes to Afghanistan, Dawn News reported.

Last month, diplomatic sources told Dawn the United States hoped Pakistan would reopen the supply routes before Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari would arrive in Chicago to attend the summit, set for May 20-21.

White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes had said the United States would welcome Pakistan's "potential participation" in the NATO summit.

An official dealing with the summit said, "And obviously, the United States expects Mr. Zardari to reopen the supply routes before the summit, as it would be too embarrassing for him to attend a NATO meeting while his forces are blocking NATO supply lines."

Afghanistan's future and NATO's role in the region will be on the agenda at the NATO conference.