It is finally done. Afghanistan has signed its most important strategic partnership document. The US-Afghanistan strategic pact is time-scheduled for ten years and is dependent on parliamentary approval. Putting aside its importance for Afghanistan, the region will be affected or, at least, will respond with diverse reactions. For this, there are grave concerns whether the partnership will survive under intense regional oppositions or not. As stipulated in the document, the partnership is aimed at ensuring political, economic and military security of the country.

Following official signing ceremony, President Karzai said the partnership was aimed at improving Afghanistan's and regional security and economic status and would never harm the region or any specific neighboring country. But certain neighboring countries had previously expressed their opposition to the pact. For instance, leaders of our western neighboring nation have repeatedly called for immediate withdrawal of what they call the 'occupation forces' from Afghanistan.

They've recently stated that the US-Afghan partnership would add to the problems rather than reducing them. Pakistan has spoken against a long term US-Afghan strategic partnership. Russia and China have also somehow expressed their concerns over US's long term presence in Afghanistan.

The need to establish strategic partnership with regional and world democracies was felt long ago when the US and Afghan governments asserted that regional rivalries would impact the reconstruction and democratization processes in Afghanistan.

Now they stress that they are fighting forces that are provided safe havens outside of Afghanistan and are trained and armed by regional sources. Afghanistan has regularly asked international community and the regional actors to leave aside their personal rivalries when dealing with the terrorism scourge in Afghanistan.

The document says that Afghanistan and the United States will be cooperating in areas including: advancing peace, security and reconciliation; strengthening state institutions; supporting Afghanistan's long term economic and social development; and encouraging regional cooperation.

Accordingly, no regional concerns are apparently understandable. But because regional actors are more concerned over their long term interests at the regional and world level, Afghanistan and the US won't feel easy applying the agreement.

Regional competitions will remain affecting foreign policies of the regional players. The competitions have never been initiated because of Afghanistan and will never be addressed by US abandoning this country. Opposition calls against US-Afghan strategic partnership are rooted in wishes for a wider area of rivalry rather than concerns over security of the region.