Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai says the United States is violating an agreement over capturing and holding detainees.

The leader says more than 70 Afghans, who have been cleared by the courts, are still being held by American forces despite a "detainee transfer pact" signed earlier this year.

Karzai is now ordering Afghan officials to take control of Parwan detention center at the Bagram Air Field, the main U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan.

His comments come just days after the start of negotiations on a bi-lateral security agreement. That agreement will determine U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after troops withdraw in 2014.

Karzai's critics say this is just another example of the Afghan leader using populist opinion to give him leverage in talks with Americans.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials are vowing to fulfill all pledges made to Afghanistan.

"The United States fully respects the sovereignty of Afghanistan," U.S. Embassy spokesman John Rhatigan said. "We are committed to fulfilling the mutual commitments incurred under the memorandum of understanding on detentions."