Washington and Kabul have agreed in principle to gradually transfer most Afghans in U. S. custody to the Afghan government.

A joint statement issued in Kabul says the Afghan government has agreed to make sure that the returning Afghans pose no threat.  Washington will help Afghanistan in building jails and providing appropriate training.

President Karzai's spokesman, Khaleeq Ahmed, said Afghan prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention center and the US detention facilities in Afghanistan will be among those handed over.

President Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed a strong desire to return Afghan detainees to Afghanistan when they met in Washington in May.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.