KABUL:
Afghanistan's two presidential candidates signed a power-sharing deal
on Sunday, capped with a hug and a handshake, three months after a
disputed run-off that threatened to plunge the country into turmoil and
complicate the withdrawal of US and foreign troops.
The incoming president — Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai — and Abdullah Abdullah signed the national unity government deal as President Hamid Karzai — in power since the 2001 US-led invasion ousted the Taliban — looked on. The deal creates the new role of chief executive for Abdullah following weeks of negotiations on a power-sharing arrangement after accusations of fraud in the June run-off vote.
"I am very happy today that both of my brothers, Dr Ashraf Ghani and Dr Abdullah Abdullah, in an Afghan agreement for the benefit of this country, for the progress and development of this country, that they agreed on the structure affirming the new government of Afghanistan," Karzai said after the signing.
The deal is a victory for US secretary of state John Kerry, who first got the candidates to agree in principle to share power during a July visit to Afghanistan. Kerry returned to Kabul in August and has spent hours with the candidates in repeated phone calls in an effort to seal the deal.
Afghanistan's presidential election candidates Abdullah Abdullah (left) and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai hug after signing the power-sharing deal at the presidential palace in Kabul, on September 21, 2014. (AP photo)
A White House statement lauded the two leaders, saying the agreement helps bring closure to Afghanistan's political crisis.
"This agreement marks an important opportunity for unity and increased stability in Afghanistan. We continue to call on all Afghans — including political, religious, and civil society leaders — to support this agreement and to come together in calling for cooperation and calm," the White House statement said.
Jan Kubis, the top UN official in Afghanistan, said the uncertainty of the past months took a heavy toll on Afghanistan's security, economy and governance.
An inauguration ceremony to see Ghani Ahmadzai replace Karzai as president and swear in Abdullah as chief executive — a position akin to prime minister — was expected within days. No official announcement on an inauguration timetable was immediately made. The election commission said it would release official vote totals later Sunday.
As talks dragged on, Abdullah's mostly northern supporters had threatened to form a parallel government or react violently to any outright victory by Ghani Adhmadzai, a former finance minister and World Bank official whose power base is in the country's south and east. Ghani Ahmadzai said he always maintained that ethnic politics in Afghanistan demand some sort of power sharing deal and not a winner-takes-all government.
The incoming president — Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai — and Abdullah Abdullah signed the national unity government deal as President Hamid Karzai — in power since the 2001 US-led invasion ousted the Taliban — looked on. The deal creates the new role of chief executive for Abdullah following weeks of negotiations on a power-sharing arrangement after accusations of fraud in the June run-off vote.
"I am very happy today that both of my brothers, Dr Ashraf Ghani and Dr Abdullah Abdullah, in an Afghan agreement for the benefit of this country, for the progress and development of this country, that they agreed on the structure affirming the new government of Afghanistan," Karzai said after the signing.
The deal is a victory for US secretary of state John Kerry, who first got the candidates to agree in principle to share power during a July visit to Afghanistan. Kerry returned to Kabul in August and has spent hours with the candidates in repeated phone calls in an effort to seal the deal.
Afghanistan's presidential election candidates Abdullah Abdullah (left) and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai hug after signing the power-sharing deal at the presidential palace in Kabul, on September 21, 2014. (AP photo)
A White House statement lauded the two leaders, saying the agreement helps bring closure to Afghanistan's political crisis.
"This agreement marks an important opportunity for unity and increased stability in Afghanistan. We continue to call on all Afghans — including political, religious, and civil society leaders — to support this agreement and to come together in calling for cooperation and calm," the White House statement said.
Jan Kubis, the top UN official in Afghanistan, said the uncertainty of the past months took a heavy toll on Afghanistan's security, economy and governance.
An inauguration ceremony to see Ghani Ahmadzai replace Karzai as president and swear in Abdullah as chief executive — a position akin to prime minister — was expected within days. No official announcement on an inauguration timetable was immediately made. The election commission said it would release official vote totals later Sunday.
As talks dragged on, Abdullah's mostly northern supporters had threatened to form a parallel government or react violently to any outright victory by Ghani Adhmadzai, a former finance minister and World Bank official whose power base is in the country's south and east. Ghani Ahmadzai said he always maintained that ethnic politics in Afghanistan demand some sort of power sharing deal and not a winner-takes-all government.
No comments:
Post a Comment