Karzai declines meeting US leader at Bagram

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Hamid Karzai on Sunday declined meeting his American counterpart Barack Obama at the Bagram Airbase in central Parwan province, indicating Kabul-Washington differences.

On a secret trip to Afghanistan, Obama landed at the Bagram base in the evening and met US military commanders and Ambassador James B. Cunningham during his stay lasting a few hours.

According to a late night statement from the Presidential Palace, the US Embassy in Kabul telephoned President Karzai to meet Obama at the Bagram base

Karzai told the caller his administration was willing to extend traditionally warm hospitality to the visiting dignitary at the Presidential Palace, but he would not go to Bagram to meet Obama, the statement added.

Over the past couple of years, the two leaders have been at odds over a bilateral security agreement on the US military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014. ISAF‘s current campaign is scheduled to end this year.

pr/mud

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