KABUL - President Hamid Karzai has described next year's presidential elections as an important step toward ensuring stability in the country, hoping the Afghans would vote for a candidate of their choice.

According to a statement from the Presidential Palace, Karzai told members of the Afghanistan Ulema Council (AUC) his successor would be able to cope with the multiple challenges facing the country.

"What is encouraging is that the nation has an auspicious goal ahead and it's moving in the right direction. Afghanistan’s next president will have a good administration,” Karzai said.

The president briefed the Ulema on his recent trip to China, saying the Chinese officials, whose country has a population of 1,300 million, warmly welcomed the delegation headed by him.

The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States also came up for discussion during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said, adding Beijing realized Afghanistan’s constraints and supported all the agreements benefitting the Afghans.

Pointing to the unprecedented progress of China, he said the neighboring country had reached the present stage of development as a result of efforts by its own people.

Karzai believed: "Our country can also be reconstructed and developed by our youth.” (Pajhwok)