KABUL - Afghanistan's parliamentarians broadly welcomed the signing of the Afghan-US strategic agreement Wednesday, but warned that Afghanistan would not sacrifice itself for the interests of other countries.
Members of Parliament stressed that Afghanistan is an independent country and would sign such long-term agreements with any country as long as its sovereignty and national interests were not violated.
"As other countries cannot sacrifice their interests for our country, we also can't do so," Herat's MP Ahmad Behzad said.

Kabul MP Shukria Barekzai said that the agreement, if implemented properly, would help Afghanistan to stabilize.
"I believe that if it's governed wisely and in accordance with the national interests of Afghanistan, it will without any doubt help keep Afghanistan stable," she said.

The MPs also called on the Afghan government to send the agreement to the Parliament for review as soon as possible.
"The government should send the agreement to the parliament in order for it to be reviewed," Balkh MP Sayed Alemi Balkhi said.

The Afghan-US strategic agreement is regarded as a crucial platform for the future Afghanistan after 2014 when NATO withdraws from its combat mission.

Afghanistan has signed similar agreements with France, Britain Italy and India.
It is close to signing long-term pacts with Germany and Australia. (Tolo News)