Karzai arrives in US amid tensions

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has arrived in the US on a four-day visit amid rising friction between Washington and Kabul over a range of issues.

Karzai will meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton later in the day. He is also scheduled to hold a joint press conference with his American counterpart Barack Obama on Wednesday.

He is expected to discuss tackling of domestic issues and corruption accusations put forward by the US administration.

Karzai’s visit comes after a volatile spell in the two countries’ relations after he strongly criticized foreign interference in Afghan affairs, including the recent elections.

He has also criticized foreign troops for failing to bring security to the war-torn country.

American officials hope that the visit will prepare the ground for a better working relationship.

The 2001US-led invasion of Afghanistan, involving forces mostly from NATO countries, has so far failed to bring security to the country.