KABUL - Afghan government should make a strategic agreement with the United States before foreign forces withdraw from the country, experts said on Tuesday. Some Afghan experts in Kabul expressed concern that Afghanistan will again turn into a ground for neighbors’ games, if no strategic document is sealed with the United States.
Some of the Afghan neighbors including Iran and Pakistan have often expressed concerns over Afghan-US strategic partnership.
Afghan experts believe the neighboring countries are more concerned about their own interests in Afghanistan and do not want any US-Afghan strategic partnership agreement to be signed.

Another Afghan political expert, Jawid Kohistani, said Afghanistan does not need to consult its neighbors on strategic partnership with the United States.
"As a sovereign country, Afghanistan has the right to seal strategic partnership agreements with the US or any other country, neighbors have no right to advise us," Mr Kohistani said.

Afghan political analyst, Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai, suggests the United States should cooperate to strengthen the Afghan defense system so that neighbors find no chance to interfere in Afghanistan.
Head of Afghanistan's National Security Council, Rangin Dadfar Spanta, told Afghan MPs on Monday that strategic agreements with any country would be made in accordance with national interests.

"Why should Afghanistan seek permission from neighbors or other countries including the United States to choose its friends and enemies?" Spanta said.
"I personally emphasize that we should decide our fates ourselves based on our national interests. Did Pakistan consult us before testing its nukes in Baluchistan? Did they ask us when they decided to hide the world terrorist leader in Islamabad for ten years?, Spanta further said. (Tolo News)