Karzai: No security pact with U.S. without peace talks with Taliban

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Until peace talks are underway with the Taliban, Afghanistan will not sign a security deal with the United States, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday.

Speaking at a news conference in Kabul, Karzai said Afghanistan would "absolutely not accept or sign anything under pressure," the BBC reported.

The country's Loya Jirga, or national council, approved the pact, known as the Bilateral Security Agreement, in November but Karzai has refused to sign it.

"If the U.S. is not willing to accept our conditions, they can leave anytime and we will continue our lives," he said.

Karzai said his main condition was "the practical start of a peace process."

Without the agreement, the United States will pull all of its troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year. Washington would like to leave several thousand troops in the country to train and mentor Afghan forces and to conduct counter-terrorism operations.

Karzai's second and final term ends in April.