Afghan President Hamid Karzai

Afghan President Hamid KarzaiAfghan President Hamid Karzai has confirmed US plans to set up permanent bases in his country, enabling its troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 deadline.

The decision comes after negotiations between Karzai and US officials and senators on a range of strategic issues, including the establishment of permanent military bases in Afghanistan, DPA reported.

"Yes they want this (permanent bases) and we have been negotiating with them," Karzai said at a press conference in his presidential palace on Tuesday.

"We believe that a long-term relationship with the United States is in the interest of Afghanistan," Karzai added, expressing hope for the establishment of a relationship that brings security and economic prosperity to Afghanistan and an end to violence.

The Afghan president did not give a date for finalizing the deal, but said any long-term partnership would need to be approved by the parliament and the grand tribal council known as the Loya Jirga.

Karzai also emphasized that long-term US bases would not be "used as base against other countries and that Afghanistan is not a place from where our neighbors could be threatened."

If an agreement is reached on permanent bases, the US troops will remain on the Afghan soil beyond the planned transfer of security responsibilities by the end of 2014 -- a process scheduled to start in the spring this year.

Source: Press TV