President Karzai Receives US Senate Delegation

Publish Date: Feb 19, 2012

February 19, 2012 - President Hamid Karzai received this morning a delegation of US Senators, led by Senator John McCain.

The meeting, held in the Presidential Palace, focused on the US continued assistance to Afghanistan and the issue of training for the Afghan security forces.

The five-member senate delegation hailed the recent progress achieved in regards to the growing capability by the Afghan National Security Force and agreed on the need for continued training to the force.

Pointing to the on-going negotiations on the US-Afghan Strategic Partnership Document, the delegation hoped that talks between the two countries produce a concluded document, ready for signature before the coming up Chicago conference.

President Karzai said, through the recent traditional Loya Jirga, the Afghan people representatives endorsed such partnership and set their conditions for the document.

“People of Afghanistan want to see that the document be signed between the US and Afghanistan as two independent and sovereign nations.” the President added.

Stressing on the need to stop the night raids conducted by the international troops and to transfer the Bagram prison to Afghanistan authority, the President said the issues are of grave importance and highly sensitive to the Afghan people.

The US senate delegation was led by Senator John McCain and comprised of Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator John Hoeven, Senator Richard Blumenthal and Senator Jeff Sessions.

On the Afghan side were Foreign Minister Dr. Rasoul, National Security Advisor Dr. Spanta and Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abdul Karim Khurram.