Afghan presidential spokesman: Kerry, Karzai to have 3rd round of talks on troop agreement

10/12/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Afghanistan-Kerry-US

    U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry takes off in a black hawk helicopter in Kabul, Afghanistan, after arriving on an unannounced visit to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai Friday, Oct. 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    • KABUL, Afghanistan  — Afghanistan’s presidential spokesman says that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will have a third round of talks with President Hamid Karzai on a bilateral security agreement with the United States and that work remains to be done before a deal is struck.

    Spokesman Aimal Faizi said some contentious issues remain to be finalized and talks may be concluded by the end of today, though that remains uncertain.

    Kerry began negotiations with Karzai in the morning, the second day of talks after he arrived late Friday.

    The U.S. wants a deal by the end of the month, while Karzai wants assurances over sovereignty that have deadlocked negotiations in the past year.