what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news." >> this is "gmt" on bbc world news. the timetable for transition in afghanistan. preparations for a major confrontation in kabul to lay out the future. pakistan pivotal in american thinking about the long-term stability of afghanistan and the region. >> i feel strongly that the pakistani government has become very serious about fighting terrorism within their own borders and working with afghanistan and the united states to try to stabilize the region. >> a commuter tragedy in west bengal, and least 60 people killed. in verdict -- david cameron heads to the u.s. were critics are circling. major orders for the aviation giant, as the world's biggest air show takes off. hello, and welcome to "gmt." money for pakistan, that is the gist of hillary clinton's latest visit to as lombok. she announced new aid for the country, money to be invested in civilian projects as part of a long-term american commitment in the region. she is scheduled to attend a major conference in couple where 40 nations will try to chart a course for the country. stability in afghanistan still seems a long way off. the taliban remain strong and may feel strongly urge the more it hears of troop withdrawal. emily buchanan reports >> america's alliance with pakistan is under strain. u.s. secretary of state has a drive to shore it up. as she met the foreign minister, misses clinton said there was a perception among pakistanis that america's commitment to them was purely because of the war against the taliban. >> we are committed to building a partnership with pakistan that of course strengthen security and protect the people of pakistan but goes beyond security. we want to help you drive economic growth and prosperity, strengthen your democratic government institutions, expand access to the tools of opportunity. >> the pakistani government is aware of the high level of anti- american feelings and has an interest in having more to show in the relationship. >> to this is a transformation phase in our bilateral relations. together, pakistan and the united states are working to transform this long standing, operates a relationship into a strong, comprehensive, and sustainable partnership of mutual benefit. >> most pakistanis live in grinding poverty. they may welcome today's announcements of new u.s. development aid projects went to water and health care. a key trade route between pakistan and afghanistan. the u.s. has also managed to push the two countries into a formal trade deal. it is meant to boost the economies and security on both sides of this lawless border region. but development aid and trade will not change lies overnight. for now, security will have to take priority. here in kabul, police are taking no chances as they gear up for tomorrow's first international conference on the future of afghanistan. emily buchanan, bbc news. >> in just a few minutes we will go live to kabul to hear about the latest preparations at the conference that begins tuesday. with news of a serious train crash in india and the rest of today's news. >> thank you very much, indeed. a crash between two packed commuter trains in the indian state of west bengal killed at least 60 people. an express train plowed into another waiting at the station early monday morning. more than 100 people have been injured. a report from delhi. >> rescue teams working at the crash site, trying to force their way into the wreckage and trying to reach those trapped inside. the impact of the crash was so severe that one coach was lifted clear off the tracks and into a bridge overhead. others were mangled beyond recognition. trains are being used to clear the debris and help with the relief operation. the accident occurred when the express, which was headed to calcutta, collided with a stationary express. the carriage is worst affected were the ones in the back, filled to capacity with a low fare paying passengers. many of them headed into the city after a weekend at home. local residents for first at the scene, helping to carry out the injured. many have stayed on to help the rescue workers and security forces that have been sent in. it is still not clear what caused the crash. an investigation is due to be launched to try to determine why both trains were on the same track and whether it was human error or a failure of equipment. >> the authorities and northeastern china are cleaning up by large oil slick covering 50 square kilometers of the yellow sea after a pipe carrying oil from a tanker to a storage tank blew up on friday night. it caused another nearby pipeline to explode. no deaths or injuries have been reported. reports from china says persistent floods and mudslides are raising questions about the efficiency of the three gorges dam. hundreds of people are dead or missing in the river basin. hundreds of thousands have had to be moved in large numbers of homes have collapsed. the chinese official media says the dam -- facing its biggest challenges -- challenge yet. the loss of world war i soldiers whose bodies were recovered from mass graves have been buried with full military honors. the occasion marked the official opening of the new cornwall cemetery. families of the soldiers who were identified from dna records are attended the ceremony. the body -- the battle was a visionary tactic. britain lost 1500 troops. for australia, the bloodiest 60 hours in the military is 3, 5.5000 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured. rating agency moody's downgraded irene 1's sovereign debt rating. but -- ireland's sovereign debt rating. the debt levels and the huge cost the red screwing the bank say prospects for growth are weak. the timing is not good for the irish government as it has a bond auctions doubled for tuesday. that is it for me. >> thanks very much. leading figures from around the world are heading for kabul for a conference that could give us a blueprint for the country's future. stability and independence are key words but instability in natal that are perhaps more of a reality. >> welcome to the afghan capital. a very hot and bright sun. a time of unprecedented security. afghans are pointing out this is the first ever major international conference for as long as anyone can remember. so, there is an unprecedented number of police on the streets. they're also trying to give the city a new phase, roses and the roundabout and painting the street divisor's. but security is a main issue. we will look at the agenda with the u.n. special representatives. but quentin somerville will look as some of the challenges. >> tactical searches are nothing new in kabul. but today, checkpoints are tougher, more thorough than usual. the police are out in force. the city is under threat. senior captain is keeping an eye on things. he told us everyone knows that our country is a target of enemies and terrorists, it is a dangerous job but you know that when you sign up. the threat he faces is huge. it is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. on average, eight officers are killed every single day. watch the white car in this footage. two policeman trying to stop it from entering the indian embassy. as they tell it to turn back, a bomb site is that native and both men are killed. this was recorded in the police's new multimillion-dollar control room. modernizing decreased -- police, making it more effective is an international priority. if they can keep the country say, foreign troops can go home. the people of kabul across the country have little faith in the police. the force is seen as poorly trained and corrupt. high above the city, the police are preparing for the biggest challenge. this is the afghan army, and over here, the afghan national police. they are getting ready for the conference, the first time a conference on afghanistan is being held in afghanistan. in the past, it just was not safe enough. they are just getting ready now. the afghan national police are responsible for security. this is going to be the biggest test yet of their ability to keep cobble -- cobble -- kabul safe. the police chief is the man in charge. >> i can assure you that security forces in kabul are improving every day. if you compare that in the terms of numbers and they're in mind the challenges we are facing, compared to our neighboring countries, we are doing much better. >> the conference is all about afghans taking control of their own country. first, these men have to prove themselves, keeping the conference free from attack being a good indication they are up to the job. quentin somerville, bbc news, kabul. >> a major challenge to organize the conference and a challenge to afghan leaders and international community to produce results after nearly nine years of engagement. there will be foreign ministers and the present of this comes -- from some 70 countries. chaired by honey karzai, afghan president and u.n. secretary general don king moon. -- ban-ki-moon. why another conference? >> the afghans themselves one another country. in london it was the international community and afghan saying we are with you, now afghans want to tell the in for met -- international community, give us more chance to show we can handle the future, both on civic and military side, and if we do so, give us the funds. not new funds. but realigned the old funds to us. the international community will say, we do not trust all what you are doing. that is why there will be benchmarks. that is the new elephant -- element. >> you are expecting commitments from afghan government, to fill certain promises they made to their people. >> the opportunity of a concrete promise with the benchmarks for all people -- not just the international community -- but in order to get a result, international community and all people will ask for benchmarks and they will be checked every six months. it is quite a serious endeavor. it is leading to what we all talk about but needs the concrete, afghanization. >> what it means in the minds of critics as an exit strategy. >> what they are going to talk also -- one is called reintegration. it is a fund that will be launched through the conference in order to show to those that are outside -- and you know who i mean -- to come inside the tent with a package of reassurance and financial. at the other key word is transition. moving from military to civilian. and from civilian to afghan. does this mean exit? no, because this will be conditioned based and it will be gradual. but it is in the direction of a change. >> we will soon find out. you and representative, thank you very much for joining us here in kabul in an absolutely important time. the eyes of the world will be again on afghanistan and eyes of the afghans most of all will be on this conference because many say if it does not start moving forward there is a great risk it will move back. for now, that is all for us in kabul. >> this is "gmt" with me, david eades. the future of flight -- live at the world's largest air show to see where the industry is headed. croatia and serbia, who were at war with each other in the 1990's have taken another step toward regional reconciliation with the visit of croatian president to belgrade. he and his serbian counterpart held what they call a new era of cooperation. >> they may be neighbors, but relations between croatia and serbia have long been anything but close. it is just 15 years since the end of the croatian war which killed thousands in fighting between ethnic croats and serbs, and it'll love lost between the two former yugoslav republics ever since. but now both have determined to move on with the serbian president calling this visit by his coalition counterpart historic. >> serbia wishes for the best possible relationship with its neighbor, croatia. we need to build this croatian dish -- relationship and culture, economy, safety and security. we wish equally to the other with croatia to become members of the european union. >> the two men stressed the cooperation and dialogue that they believe now the finds of their countries' relationship, to find solutions to outstanding issues such as return of refugees. the croatian-serbian relationship is crucial for the stability of the western balkans. they are the biggest and most powerful former yugoslav republics and it is believe they can set an example to neighboring bosnia, where segregation between the different ethnic groups still runs deep sense it's own war of independence in the 1990's. >> there is a complex history to the serbian-croatian relationship. it is a difficult past. but we found a good way, the right way, to solve the problems. we have found a way to build a good relationship. >> this is a region where reconciliation is notoriously slow but zagreb and belgrade are determined to show former foes can lead the past arrest in the hopes of building a new european future. >> this is "gmt" from bbc world news, with me, david eades. the key to the region -- secretary of state, and announce $7.5 billion of aid to pakistan and head of a major conference in afghanistan on tuesday. at least 60 people have been killed in a train crash in the indian state of west bengal. there are signs of trouble with efforts to bring a permanent end to the oil leak in the gulf of mexico. the u.s. government ordered by by to report when it possible seepage in the sea bed near the sunken well -- ordered bp to report on a possible seepage. this apparent setbacks sent bp shares sliding once again. the total cost of the clean-up operation in the gulf is approaching $4 billion. >> bp had been hoping mr. icahn to cap could stay in place until it managed to drill relief wells to seal off the leaking ones. now the oil company has been ordered to provide a written procedure for reopening the capped wells. the top u.s. official overseeing the spill response as something is seeping out from the ocean floor. if the seepage turned up to be hydrocarbon, by -- bp may be ordered to open about shutting off the oil flow into the gulf of debt -- mexico. the presence of hydrocarbon could mean methane gas, which might suggest a leak below the ocean floor. the pressure of the gigantic cap has been lower-than-expected, which could again mean there is a leak or it might be down to the oil reservoir beginning to run dry. if bp is order to reopen the well, then oil will flow into the gulf of mexico for a short time until the pressure lowers and the ships capturing oil at the surface can be hooked up. u.s. officials think containing the oil maybe an option than leaving the cap on. the shift in position to capture all of the oil escaping. since the will was capped, tourists were showing signs of returning to the gulf coast beaches but that could all change if the oil starts to pull out again, even if only for a few days. bbc news, louisiana. >> while bp has been battling to contain the mass of oil spill in the gulf of mexico, another struggle over oil is taking place in america's most remote corning -- corner. eskimos living the arctic ocean fear their unique way of life could be destroyed if will drilling goes ahead of their. our reporter visited the arctic town in a festival to celebrate the spring whale hunt. >> midnight in midsummer and the alaskan arctic and it is a time to celebrate. the sun does not set as eskimo families enjoy the spring whaling session. this is what they're celebrating. twice yearly legal whale hunt. everybody shares and the catch. for thousands of years people here have depended on whale meat for food. this is one of the most remote places on earth, where people live according to ancient traditions. but they are involved in a fight that goes to the very heart of a modern global society. native groups have been leading the fight to stop oil drilling in their traditional wheeling grounds. >> the ocean is our garden. it is where we get our food from. not just the whale, but everything else, walrus and all of the other stuff. >> if you look of the gulf of mexico, they were cutting corners. if they did that out here, they will cut our livelihood. >> oil company shell paid billions to drill in these icy waters. work should be starting now the president obama ordered a temporary halt because of this bill in the gulf of mexico. this is the fear -- except this spill is controlled, part of a cleanup drill for oil companies. shell says it can respond to an arctic spill within an hour. >> the gulf of mexico may have been a wake-up call for some but it was not a wake up call for shell. we would have not put any money down on these leases had we not felt we could go and drove these safely. >> alaska depends on oil money and in the state's biggest -- biggest city, most support offshore drilling. >> we need oil, and where are you going to get it? you need to get it from some place. there are safety rules and regulations. they just need to be better enforced. >> i think all of these green tree huggers need to park their cars and do something else if they are going to get all mad about oil. >> on the arctic shore, some say the oil will bring jobs and energy independence. but the gulf of mexico still makes them wonder, at what cost. bbc news, alaska. >> great pictures. the british prime minister david cameron has pre-empted some of the criticism he can expect on his forthcoming trip to washington. when the eve of his first visit to the white house as prime minister he told bbc the decision to release the lockerbie bomb or was, as he put it, utterly wrong. he has been talking about the questions he is likely to face. >> the u.s.-u.k. relationship is very strong. regular meetings we have -- there are bound to be all sorts of questions -- >> dominating the headlines. >> i am not really interested in the headlines but interested in having a good, productive relationship with america. yes, there will be lots of things we will talk about -- afghanistan, bp, and i am sure the issue of al-megrahi. i am not responsible for bp but as leader of the opposition i could not be more clear that the dewitt -- decision to release him was completely and utterly wrong. he was convicted to be the biggest mass murder in british history. i saw to release him from prison and i said that a year ago. remember, a year ago we all told that he only had three months to live. >> joining from the house of parliament in london. our political reported -- glad that he was in opposition when al-megrahi least. >> he is able to put themselves removed from the whole decision partly because they can say he was not in government, and secondly, because the decision was taken by the scottish government. that said, the foreign secretary here has felt the need to reassure washington. he has written to hillary clinton to say that there is no evidence at all to suggest that bp anyway did influence of that decision to release, grozny -- al-megrahi. >> obviously that is one area where one would imagine barack obama has to remain on the offensive and aggressive and david cameron will have to protect the great british -- british interest. >> bp in a way is a much trickier issue than the whole issue of the lockerbie bombing, and that is because he has come under criticism hear from business leaders and other politicians who feel he has not done in of to stand up for the british-based oil company. he has since tried to correct that at the toronto g-8 summit and he stressed to president obama that is strong and stable baby was necessary, not least for those expecting compensation. but the onus is on david cameron to continue the pressure so it is not felt that there is open season on bp and that it is driven to the brink. >> thanks very much indeed. we await david cameron's trip. the world's largest air show is off the ground of the uk. normally used as an arena for companies in the industry to make major announcements and give us a glimpse of advancements in aerospace and defense industry. they have been living up to their billing. my comment -- colleague is here. some big orders already being pronounced. >> that's right. a big $9 billion order for some 30 boeing 777's from emirates, and over $4 billion order for new u.s. group, air lease corp., the new leasing airline company, they ordered 51 a320 jets from airbus. it is not the usual big names that you are seeing from europe and u.s. because of course we had a lot of bad news -- will canid ash fallout, financial crisis, which means passengers are not traveling as much. >> there is a lot of money being pledged, at least not spend, on aircraft. >> that's right. and then mentioned, it is really from the middle east and asia where there is a lot of money. a lot of these airlines are state back so you seeing a lot of money for investments. how of course, -- and of course, they are very wealthy. qatar is the other big airline expected to make big orders as well. >> thanks very much indeed. that is just about all we have time for for this edition of the "gmt." obviously we have the afghan conference in kabul taking place tomorrow. do stay with us here on bbc world news. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold. get the top stories from around the globe and click to play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was made possible by -- the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, and union bank. >> union bank has put its global expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> there is one stage that is the met and carnegie hall. >> o, that this too, too solid flesh -- >> it is the kennedy center -- >> check, one, two. >> and a club in austin. 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