Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton kicked off a day of closed talks with Afghan government leaders by assuring President Hamid Karzai that the US will remain committed to his country's security and reconstruction long after the last US combat troops have departed. We will not abandon the Afghan people. Our civilian commitment will remain long into the future, Clinton said, with Karzai at her side in the ornate Benjamin Franklin room at the State Department. Clinton and Karzai both offered opening remarks, stressing the positive but also acknowledging that sharp differences have complicated efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and set the stage for an end to the war. The ability to disagree on issues of importance to our respective countries and peoples is not an obstacle to achieving our shared objectives, Clinton said. Rather, it reflects a level of trust that is essential to any meaningful dialogue and enduring strategic partnership. Karzai thanked the U.S. for its contributions since routing the Taliban regime in late 2001, but he also cautioned that international forces in his country must do more to avoid causing civilian casualties. He, too, said it was natural for Kabul and Washington to see the situation differently, even while working together. As two mature nations and two mature governments by now the Afghan government is mature, too we will be having disagreements from time to time, Karzai said. Both countries' delegations were seated in the ornate Benjamin Franklin room at a U-shaped table covered in white cloth, with the American and Afghan flags standing behind Clinton and Karzai. Karzai is scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday and wind up his visit on Thursday.
