Top Afghan Advisor Resigns over Differences with Karzai

There are increasing doubts on whether Washington and Kabul will be able to reach a long-term Strategic Partnership Agreement; US-Afghanistan relations have been heavily strained in recent weeks.

Rangin Dadfar Spanta Photo: Wikipedia

(KABUL, Afghanistan Press TV) - A top Afghan advisor has reportedly resigned over disagreements on a strategic partnership deal that will set the framework for continued US presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014, Press TV reports.

Reports say National Security Adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta has submitted his resignation letter to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, though his resignation has not yet been accepted.

It is widely believed that resignation of Spanta, a former foreign minister, was part of an effort to pressure Karzai into a compromise on the Strategic Partnership Agreement.

Karzai is against two of the most contentious issues being negotiated -- the night-time raids and the US transfer of detention facilities to Afghan government control.

An Afghan official said on Tuesday that the United States is persistently pressuring President Karzai to submit to the deal.

Ezatullah Safi, the deputy director of Karzai's media information center, said the intense pressure comes as the president demands an end to night-time raids by US troops in Afghanistan and a timeline for Afghans to assume control over the US-run detention centers.

There are increasing doubts on whether Washington and Kabul will be able to reach a long-term Strategic Partnership Agreement as US-Afghanistan relations have been heavily strained in recent weeks.

Special thanks to Press TV