But the Loya Jirga has asked for the release of Talibans lodged in Guatemala prison.

Speaking at the meeting of International Contact Group on Afghanistan and Pakistan here on Thursday, the Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Ershad Ahmadi said that President Karzai was ready to sign BSA with US, but the Loya Jirga has placed some conditions.

The US representative Laurel Miller stressed on the urgency for Afghanistan to sign BSA with US.

The chair of the ICG on Afghanistan and Pakistan and German representative Michael Koch said that after signing of BSA with US, the NATO members are willing to sign similar agreements with Afghanistan.

However, the Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid inaugurating the conference reiterated India’s commitment to continue with its development programme in Afghanistan even after the slated drawdown of NATO forces, this year. “There is no exit policy,” he said.

The Indian Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, SK Lambah said that though Indian continues to train Afghan forces, its main focus is the development agenda.

The Contact Group, which has representatives from 53 countries, underscored the importance of a credible and impartial Independent Electoral Complaints Commission and speedy establishment of its nationwide operational structure.

The Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmadi said that electoral rolls were being updated and efforts were being made to ensure that the 2014 Presidential Elections do not repeat the mistakes of 2009 polls.

The Contact Group members reposed confidence in the capability of the Afghan National Security Forces to ensure security for the Presidential and provincial council elections. They reaffirmed their commitment to support ANSF at the request of Afghan authorities.

The donor countries confirmed their commitments to sustain civilian assistance through and beyond transition in 2014.