UK-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership signed

London: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and British Prime Minister David Cameron on Saturday signed an strategic partnership agreement on the future of Afghanistan aimed at bringing stability to the country after the withdrawal of international troops in 2014. “We want a long-term relationship with Afghanistan,” said Cameron during a meeting with Karzai. The agreement outlines plans for a secure Afghanistan that is able to maintain its own security.

On Friday, Karzai had met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who said France would once more take up its mission in Afghanistan to train Afghan soldiers. The mission had been called off by France a week ago when four French soldiers were shot dead by an Afghan soldier during a joint training exercise. French troops are to withdraw at the end of 2013, Sarkozy said. According to a previous plan, French troops were to withdraw at the start of 2014, and all NATO units by the end of 2014.

On Thursday, karzai began his European tour to seek European support at a particularly delicate moment. President Hamid Karzai began his tour in Rome, where he met with Head of State Napolitano and Premier Monti. In Italy, he discussed a long-term cooperation plan” that includes “all the main forms” of support, and no longer of a military nature after the 2014 withdrawal.

Karzai visit aimed at signing a series of bilateral accords that strengthen Europe’s support and assistance in Afghanistan mainly in the areas of security, cooperation and development.