KABUL - Negotiations on the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA)-which allows the US forces to stay in Afghanistan post-2014- move forward between the Afghan government and the U.S., increasing the likelihood of the agreement being signed before the 2014 elections, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said on Monday.

"Negotiations are ongoing. We are confident that the preconditions tabled by Afghanistan would be honored," MoFA Spokesman Shekib Mostaghna said. "We will soon reach a comprehensive agreement to sign BSA before the elections."

Elaborating on the issue of peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Dubai, MoFA spokesman said that this is an important step toward strengthening the peace process.

"The Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan strongly supports these developments and hopes that the talks yield positive outcomes on peace restoration," Mr. Mostaghna added.

In addition, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has reiterated that purposeful peace negotiations are only possible through the honest cooperation of Pakistan.

Back in December, Pakistan's Top Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz told reporters in Islamabad that the Afghan Taliban have yet to accept his country's request for them to negotiate with the Afghan High Peace Council (HPC).

Aziz claimed that Pakistan has asked Taliban to start a dialogue with the Afghan government, as a part of Islamabad's recent efforts to advance the peace process in Afghanistan. But according to him,

the insurgents have maintained their position and insisted that they do not recognize the regime in Kabul.