WASHINGTON, June 15: US President George Bush on Tuesday announced his intention to sign a bilateral trade and investment framework agreement with Afghanistan.

In his address to the US Congress earlier in the day, Afghan President Hamid Karzai had called for a free-trade agreement between his country and the United States.

Mr Bush responded to his request by announcing his intention to sign TIFA, which is the first step towards a free-trade agreement. Mr Bush, who was addressing a joint press conference with his Afghan guest at the White House, did not respond to Mr Karzai's request for more NATO troops.

"We are hoping that NATO will come to Afghanistan before the elections of September," to fulfil the promises the United States and other allies have made, Mr Karzai said at an earlier briefing.

Mr Bush assured him that his government would continue to help build the new Afghan National Army and to train new Afghan police and border patrol but did not promise NATO troops. But he indicated that US troops would continue to stay in Afghanistan when he said: "Together we will maintain the peace, secure Afghanistan's borders and deny terrorists any foothold in that country."