Hundreds of tribal leaders in Afghanistan are backing President Hamid Karzai's plans for a "strategic partnership" with the United States. The pact could cement a long-term American military presence in Central Asia.

More than one thousand elders and officials from across Afghanistan met with Karzai in Kabul on Sunday.

Jawed Ludin, an Afghan government spokesman, says that tribal leaders are so far positive about the government's plan.

"We're actually delighted that on the whole, our finding from today's discussion is that people are on the whole, very positive about this and I think people are thinking by-and-large along the same line as we had expected. The discussion on the strategic partnership is still ongoing. It's entering a more formal phase now in which we believe the two presidents will eventually write to each other."
 
Karzai is expected to discuss the partnership with US President George W Bush in Washington later this month. Afghan officials have said the partnership should cover economic and political ties as well as security.

(CRI.com May 9, 2005)