Afghanistan:Strategic pact based on mutual interest & respect

Afghan president Hamid Karzai

briefing reporters on Afghanistan-US strategic pact said the two nations have agreed to respect the national benefits, sovereignty and equality. President Karzai said respect to Afghan constitution and that the Afghan soil will not be used against any other nation are the main conditions of the strategic cooperation agreement with Washington. While pointing towards the issues relating the political system of Afghanistan president Karzai said the strategic pact between the two nations also focus on centralized political system despite recent interference by a number of US congress members to amend the Afghan political system. He said a number of the US congress members recently struggled to change Afghanistan into a federal government adding that the political system should be amended only by Afghans and not by foreigners. This comes as a number of the opposition leaders also urged to change the current political system from presidential to parliamentarian, which was supported by a number of US congress members. Afghan opposition leaders and US congress members have had at least two sessions in this regard so far. The Afghan government also prohibited a US congress member to enter Afghanistan and meet with the Afghan opposition leaders. President Karzai also said NATO and United States remains committed to support Afghanistan against external threats. The strategic pact between Afghanistan and United States was signed between the two nations during the recent visit of president Barack Obama in capital Kabul. According to Afghan officials the strategic pact is a framework of cooperation between Kabul and Washington and is valid until 2024