Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari will attend NATO's upcoming Chicago summit as Islamabad looks all set to open the six-month blockade of the military alliance's supply routes to Afghanistan.

The NATO extended an "unconditional" invitation for its summit next week to Zardari and supply routes for foreign troops in Afghanistan will be reopened after negotiations conclude with the US, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said today.

Both Defence Committee of the Cabinet, Pakistan's highest body on security issues, and the federal cabinet have endorsed the President's participation in the NATO Summit in Chicago after the invitation was sent by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, he said.

A final decision on reopening the "Ground Lines of Communication" or supply routes for NATO troops in Afghanistan will depend on the outcome of talks between the US and different ministries and organisations of Pakistan, Gilani told reporters on the sidelines of an official event.

"We have directed the concerned departments to conclude their negotiations. The talks are still underway," he said.

Pakistan closed the supply routes after a cross-border NATO air strike killed 24 of its soldiers in November.

Islamabad and Washington were unable to put their ties on an even keel as Pakistan had been insisting on an unconditional apology from the US for the air strike.

Though Pakistani leaders, including Foreign Minister Hina, have sought to project participation in the NATO Summit and the demand for an apology from the US as separate issues, analysts have noted that Islamabad has climbed down on both the apology and the demand to end US drone strikes.

Hina has said Pakistan has decided to reopen NATO supply routes for non-lethal cargo destined to International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. She said the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) in its meeting on Tuesday took the decision in principle for ending the blockade, though it has yet to be implemented.

The civil and military teams negotiating fresh terms on engagement with the US have been authorised to bring the matter to a closure, she added.

“The reopening of supply routes is in the interest of Pakistan, and is being done in accordance with the policy guidelines recommended by the Parliament,” Khar said, adding that objections being raised by the opposition were unfounded. “There is no hidden agreement behind the reopening of NATO routes,” she said while talking to private TV channel Geo News.

Khar said the issue of NATO supplies was not only related to Pakistan and US but it was also linked to ties with 50 more nations.

The Foreign Office today announced President Zardari would attend the NATO Summit during May 20-21 as both the Defence Committee of the Cabinet and the cabinet had endorsed the invitation. (With inputs from PTI)

Climbdown by Pak?

Though Pakistani leaders have sought to project participation in the NATO Summit and the demand for an apology from the US as separate issues, analysts have noted that Islamabad has climbed down on both the apology and the demand to end US drone strikes.

The reopening of supply routes is in the interest of Pakistan, and is being done in accordance with the policy guidelines recommended by the Parliament.

— Hina Rabbani Khar, Pak Foreign Minister