White House presses Afghans to sign security pact this year

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House again urged Afghan leaders on Friday to sign a security pact before the end of the year, saying timing was key if the United States was going to keep troops in Afghanistan after 2014. "We look forward to an agreement that can be signed by both sides. We need it done by the end of the year," White House spokesman Jay Carney told a news briefing. "We can't push it into next year and be expected to plan for a post 2014 military presence," he said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton)