Afghan's Karzai not seen meeting U.S. deadline on security deal - report

Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a news conference in Kabul December 8, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. efforts to persuade Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sign a long-term security agreement according to Washington's timetable will likely fail, the lead American negotiator has warned the Obama administration, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

In a classified cable that the Post said was transmitted in recent days, U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham wrote that he did not think Karzai would agree to sign the agreement before Afghanistan's presidential election in April, the newspaper said, citing U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.