US President George W. Bush met his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in Washington on Monday with the two sides pledging to further cooperation in the construction of Afghanistan.

"It's important for the Afghan people to understand we have a strategic vision for Afghanistan," Bush told reporters after talks with Karzai at the White House.

Bush announced that he had signed a strategic partnership with Karzai for stepped up political, economic and security ties.

"It's partnership that establishes regular high level exchange on political, security and economic issues of mutual interest," Bush said.

On American troops in Afghanistan, Bush said that the US troops in Afghanistan will continue to report to their American commanders.

 "Of course, our troops will respond to US commanders," Bush told reporters with Karzai at his side.

Bush also said that Afghan prisoners under US control in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and elsewhere, would be slowly returned to their home countries.

"We will do this over time," he said. "We have to make sure the facilities are there."

Referring to more assistance in fighting the opium trade, Bush said, "We have to work together to eradicate poppy crops."

Speaking at the news briefing, Karzai thanked Bush for helping to put his country on the path to democracy. But he also reportedly came to their meeting with a long list of grievances.

Karzai wants more control over US military operations in his country, custody of Afghan prisoners held by the United States and more assistance in fighting opium trade.

He hoped Afghanistan would be free of poppy crops within five to six years and that Afghan farmers could find alternative crops like honey dew melons and pomegranates.

About 20,000 US troops are deployed in Afghanistan, costing about US$ one billion a month.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2005)