Afghanistan peace in hands of US, Pakistan

President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai on Thursday said that peace in Afghanistan is in the hands of Americans and Pakistanis. The Afghan President told the consultative Loya Jirga (national meeting of tribal elders) in capital city Kabul that he had received a letter from his American counterpart President Barack Obama, promising respect for Afghanistan's sovereignty and protection of the US troops staying in the country after 2014. He said Obama had promised US troops would enter Afghan homes only under exceptional circumstances. Meanwhile, the US is looking forward to sign a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) that proposes an extension of the military presence in Afghanistan for security and training of the Afghan troops after 2014 when NATO/ISAF led forces will leave the country. The BSA is to be approved by the Loya Jirga and President Karzai on Thursday expressed his hopes that the Jirga would take a constructive decision on the BSA in the supreme national interest. Karzai told the Jirga that China, India and Russia were supportive of the security deal, despite their differences with Washington on other issues, adding that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey also overtly back the deal that is stoutly opposed by Iran. The President highlighted the importance of analyzing the BSA text minutely by characterizing the security accord as more important than the Strategic Partnership Agreement with the US.