(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The Afghan and US officials formally signed a long awaited Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) between Afghanistan and United States in the capital city Kabul on Tuesday.
US ambassador to Afghanistan James B. Cunningham and national security adviser Hanif Atmar inked the security agreement at the presidential palace in Kabul. The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) for the NATO forces was also inked during the signing ceremony. Majority endorsed the draft bilateral security agreement between Kabul and Washington during a gathering by Loya Jirga (tribal elders) last year but the former President Hamid Karzai refused to sign the deal.
The agreement will be allowing nearly 10,000 American troops to stay in the country after the international combat mission ends on December 31. The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) for the NATO forces was also inked during the signing ceremony. A statement from Presidential Palace confirmed the BSA and Status of Forces agreement between Afghanistan and NATO.
The signing of the agreement came a day after the newly elect president, Ashraf Ghani was sworn in as the president following a power sharing deal with his political rival Abdullah Abdullah, ending a three-month standoff over disputed elections.
President Ghani assured the people of Afghanistan those security agreements for the better of Afghanistan and the Afghan people.
Ghani said the agreements could be amended with the consideration of the interests of both sides, when needed. Dr. Ghani and the chief executive officer Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said that the bilateral security agreement with the USA and the NATO Status of forces agreements do not pose any threat to Afghanistan's neighbors.
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