Karzai discusses bilateral ties with Italian PM

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Sunday met with visiting Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta to discuss bilateral ties and issues of common concerns.

"The two leaders discussed the ways to enhance the economic and commercial ties between the two counties," said a statement issued by Afghanistan's presidential palace Arg, Xinhua reported.

While the Italian prime minister invited Karzai to visit Italy, the Afghan leader thanked Italy for its assistance to Afghanistan over the past one decade.

The two leaders also discussed the presence of Italian troops after 2014 when majority of the foreign forces leave Afghanistan.

Italy has nearly 3,000 troops within the framework of NATO-led International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF), with most of them serving in western Afghan provinces.