Troubles overshadow Hagel's Afghan visit Secretary of Defence, Chuck Hagel, with Afghan president Hamid Karzai during a private meeting in Kabul. KABUL: US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel's first trip to Afghanistan has been overshadowed by a contentious speech by President Hamid Karzai and a security scare that forced their news conference to be cancelled. Mr Karzai and Mr Hagel's appearance in front of the cameras was to be a key part of the Pentagon chief's visit to Afghanistan as strained US-Afghan relations focus on the withdrawal of NATO-led foreign troops by the end of 2014. But the event was scrapped just a few hours before it was due to be held at the presidential palace in Kabul, with US officials citing unspecified security concerns. Mr Hagel's trip was also marked by two deadly suicide bombs on Saturday and a further delay to the planned transfer of the controversial Bagram jail from US to Afghan control. In a provocative speech on Sunday, Mr Karzai said the US was in daily talks with the Taliban and insurgent suicide attacks enabled the international military force to justify its presence in Afghanistan. "The bombs that were detonated in Kabul and Khost were not a show of force; they were serving America," he said in the televised speech, referring to the two suicide blasts in which 19 people were killed. "It is their slogan for 2014, scaring us that if the US is not here our people will be eliminated," Mr Karzai, who is known for making inflammatory remarks, said. Mr Hagel tried to downplay tensions with Mr Karzai, saying after their meeting that he was pleased to renew an old friendship. "He has his ways," Mr Hagel said. There will be new challenges, there will be new issues. It shouldn't come as a surprise ... but I don't think any of these are challenges that we can't work [our] way through. "I told the president that it was not true that the United States was unilaterally working with the Taliban," he added. The fact is any prospect for peace or political settlements, that has to be led by the Afghans. Mr Hagel and Mr Karzai's talks came as the two countries face up to a testing transition phase in which NATO-led troops exit Afghanistan and Afghan forces take on fighting the Taliban alone.