CRI听力:Afghanistan to Sign Security Deal with US

U.S. officials say the new Afghan government is set to sign a new security deal allowing US soldiers to remain in the country past the end of this year.

Around 10-thousand US troops will stay-on in Afghanistan.

The deal will also allow the U.S to maintain some of its military bases in the country, which it says will provide training to the Afghan army.

White House legal counsel John Podesta.

"We very much look forward to tomorrow's signing of the bilateral security agreement with Afghanistan, an important step in strengthening the strategic partnership between our two countries. The United States remains committed to a stable, sovereign, unified Afghanistan responsible for its own security."

The announcement comes after Ashraf Ghani was sworn in as the new president of Afghanistan yesterday.

Ghani's opponent Abdullah Abdullah has also been sworn-in as chief executive, a new post equivalent to that of Prime Minister.

Ghani and Abdullah agreed to form a national unity government after a political deadlock connected to the outcome of this year's national election.

Li Shaoxian, vice director of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, says the new administration now faces two big challenges.

"I think he is facing two major problems here. First is how to unite the interest groups inside the country, and to break away from the constraints from his rivals. Second is how to deal with the challenges posed by the Taliban after US troops withdraw from the country."

Monday's swearing-in represents the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan following the 2001 US-led invasion which toppled the Taliban.