Obama, Karzai discuss range of issues in video conference

President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday discussed a range of key issues, the White House announced. In a videoconference, the two discussed efforts to stem insider attacks on US, coalition and Afghan forces; the importance of continuing to encourage restraint and non-violence in reaction to inflammatory materials; and continued implementation of the US-Afghan Strategic Partnership Agreement, the White House said in a statement released on Wednesday evening. "The President expressed his condolences and remembrances on the eve of the one-year anniversary of former Afghan President (Burhanuddin) Rabbani's assassination, and the two leaders agreed to continue our work together in support of an Afghan-led reconciliation process," the White House said. Obama "reiterated his strong support for Afghan sovereignty, and the two leaders agreed to take additional concrete steps to implement the Strategic Partnership Agreement, including launching the U.S.-Afghan Bilateral Commission in coming weeks and beginning negotiations on a Bilateral Security Agreement," the White House statement said.