U.S. President Barack Obama signed the strategic partnership agreement with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in the wee hours of Wednesday shortly after he arrived in the Afghan capital Kabul for a surprise visit. US Ambassador to Afghanistan Royan Crocker, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commander Gen. Johan Allen, National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief Rahmatullah Nabil, National Advisor on Security Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta and other high-level officials from both sides attended the landmark signing ceremony. Karzai and Barak Obama, who quietly flew into Kabul in the evening, inked the pact at about 12 midnight after addressing a gathering at the heavily-guarded palace. Karzai welcomed his US counterpart and thanked him for his unannounced visit, saying: “With the signing of the agreement the chapter of the past 10 years will be closed and a new chapter of mutual relations will be opened. Our two independent countries start the relations on the basis of close friendship, mutual respect and commitments.” Signing two crucial memorandums of understandings between the US and Afghanistan on handing over control of the Bagram jail and night-time raids to Afghans facilitated the conclusion of the strategic agreement, Karzai remarked. The deal posed no threat to any country in the region, but would spur regional development and help promote peace, he hoped. Afghans had faced several problems over the past three decades and sacrificed much, but peace eluded them, he said, hoping peace and stability would prevail in the country and Afghans would prosper. He said the coming years are crucial for Afghans and they are committed to complete the security transition before 2014, which would enable foreign troops to withdraw from Afghan soil. He thanked the US government and people for their assistance to Afghanistan over the past years, and Croker and Allen for diligently preparing the agreement. The signing was a historical achievement for both nations, he said. Obama said: “The people of the both countries have scarified over the past 10 years. We are not in favour of continuing the war and would end it with our joint efforts.”

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