Karzai urges Afghan-US pact
  • 10 years ago
PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3

Thousands of Afghan tribal elders and political leaders gathered in Kabul to debate a critical security pact with the United States.

They're deciding whether U.S troops should stay after 2014 and on what terms or if Afghanistan should fight its insurgency alone.

President Hamid Karzai is urging support for the pact but admits the two nations have little faith in each other.

(SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI SAYING:

"My trust with America is not good. I don't trust them and they don't trust me. During the past 10 years I have argued with them regarding the security of our people and searches of our people's houses and they have made propaganda against me."

Efforts to finalise a pact had stalled in the run-up to the five-day gathering taking place amid tight security.

Washington and Kabul hammered out a draft just ahead of Thursday's opening ceremony laying out the terms
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