NATO chief warns Afghanistan must sign security pact by early September

Washington: NATO`s chief warned Tuesday that, despite a disputed election, Afghanistan must sign a security pact on a post-combat international training mission by September, or there will be "severe" problems for the Western alliance.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after meeting President Barack Obama that allegations of poll fraud were a "grave concern" and he hoped an audit could produce a credible outcome so the new Afghan president could sign security agreements before the NATO summit in Wales in early September.