KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Sunday promised next year’s elections would be conducted in a free and transparent manner, saying no domestic or foreign interference would be brooked.

At a meeting with a British parliamentary delegation, Karzai said holding fair polls on schedule was an important step toward promoting democracy in the country.

In a statement from his office, the president called lasting peace a primary demand of the Afghans, who wanted to live in a peaceful environment and send their children to school.

The training of Afghan security forces, the ongoing peace drive, the Afghan-US security pact, the 2014 presidential and provincial council polls and women’s rights were also discussed.

Pleased with the progress Afghanistan made over the past decade, the delegates signaled Britain’s willingness to help train Afghan forces within the framework of NATO.

Karzai said the Afghans wanted their security personnel to be trained on modern lines and equipped with latest weapons so that they could effectively defend their homeland.

He described respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and stability in the country as key conditions for signing the Bilateral Security Agreement with the United States. (Pajhwok)