ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATIONbr br U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday (November 25) amid uncertainty about the future of U.S. troops in the country.br br The meeting comes a day after an assembly of Afghan elders, known as a Loya Jirga, voted to approve a security pact with the United States that would set out terms for any U.S. troops who stay on after most foreign forces withdraw next year.br br But President Hamid Karzai threw the pact into question by refusing to say whether he would sign it into law.br br The security pact would let U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan after a NATO-led combat mission ends next year. Karzai told the Loya Jirga he supported the pact, but also said he would only sign it after an Afghan presidential election in April, and following further negotiations.br br The United States is insisting that the pact be signed by the end of the year in order to plan for 2014.