Afghan people walk past a portrait of President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, January 3, 2004. The Afghan leader insisted on Saturday he was on the verge of a deal on a new constitution, but officials warned that time was running out for efforts to break a deadlock over his U.S.-backed vision for a strong presidency. Karzai said most of the contentious issues holding up an agreement on the constitution at the country's Loya Jirga had been resolved.


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