Afghan elders agree deal with US

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KABUL, Nov 19 (AFP): A meeting of Afghan elders, or loya jirga, Saturday agreed to a long-term strategic partnership with the United States while citing certain conditions, an official declaration said. "The jirga has decided that the strategic partnership, for better security in the country, is needed," said the declaration, read out to the meeting of around 2,000 elders in Kabul by jirga spokeswoman Safia Sediqi. "With regards to the national interest of Afghanistan, the strategic partnership is considered very important." The declaration came on the fourth day of the loya jirga and was delivered before guests including President Hamid Karzai. The jirga's findings on the strategic partnership, which is still being negotiated by Kabul and Washington, are non-binding. The conditions cited in the declaration included emphasising that US nationals who commit crimes in Afghanistan would not be immune from prosecution and the US must side with Afghanistan if a third country tried to attack it. The declaration also stipulated that the deal should be for 10 years initially, although that could be extended, plus that Afghan security forces should take the lead in all military operations. The jirga also called for the Afghan parliament to approve the strategic partnership deal and said that the US should not play out regional rivalries on Afghan soil. Opening the jirga Wednesday, Karzai spoke in favour of a deal on conditions including respect for Afghan national sovereignty and an end to US night raids in his country.