Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday the long-term strategic pact he signed overnight with visiting US President Barack Obama would pose no threat to neighbouring countries.
The deal “is not only not threatening any third country, including the neighbouring countries, but we are hoping that this leads to stability, prosperity and development in the region,” he said.
Karzai was speaking at a signing ceremony in the presidential palace with Obama, who made a secret visit to Kabul to sign the pact and mark the anniversary of the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
“The agreement provides for the possibility of US forces in Afghanistan after 2014, for the purposes of training Afghan forces and targeting the remnants of Al-Qaeda,” a White House fact sheet said.
But it does not commit the US to any specific military troop levels or funding.
The deal, which capped months of thorny negotiations, also states that the United States does not seek permanent military bases in Afghanistan.
US pact no threat to Afghanistan’s neighbours, says Karzai
