The United States says it is on track to complete a strategic partnership agreement with the Afghan government ahead of a key NATO summit in May. Talks between the two sides have been strained following a number of incidents including the massacre of 16 Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier earlier this month. Following a meeting with Afghanistan’s foreign minister, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said a deal on governing the U.S. military’s night raids on Afghan homes is close at hand.

Hillary Clinton: “We are looking forward to finalizing the so-called night raids agreement. These are complicated issues. But we are resolving them. We’re clearing the way toward a strategic partnership agreement. We would very much like to be in a position to sign such an agreement at — either before or at the Chicago summit, and I think we are on track to do so.”