US, Nato chief welcome Afghan power-sharing deal, urges political settlement

Experts hope the agreement will help put Afghanistan on the road to greater stability.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg welcomed a power-sharing deal signed Sunday by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, and pressed for a political settlement to end surging militant violence.

"Secretary Pompeo congratulated the two leaders for reaching an agreement on inclusive governance for Afghanistan," Pompeo s spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

She added that Pompeo "regretted the time lost" during a bitter months-long feud that plunged the country into political crisis.

"He reiterated that the priority for the United States remains a political settlement to end the conflict and welcomed the commitment by the two leaders to act immediately in support of prompt entry into intra-Afghan negotiations," the statement added.

Sunday s breakthrough sees Abdullah heading peace talks with the Taliban, as Afghanistan struggles with a rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus and brutal attacks that saw dozens killed last week.

Experts hope the agreement will help put Afghanistan on the road to greater stability.

Abdullah served as Afghanistan s "chief executive" under an earlier power-sharing arrangement, but lost that post after he was defeated in a presidential election that incumbent Ghani -- a former World Bank economist -- won in September amid claims of fraud.

Abdullah, an ophthalmologist, declared himself president and held his own swearing-in ceremony on March 9, the day Ghani was re-installed as president.

On the other hand, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg hailed a power-sharing deal struck between Afghanistan s political rivals and urged them to renew their efforts to bring peace.

President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah signed an agreement on Sunday to end a bitter feud that had plunged the country into political crisis for months.

"I welcome the decision taken by Afghanistan s political leaders to resolve their differences and join efforts to form an inclusive government," Stoltenberg said in a statement.

The breakthrough comes as Afghanistan battles a rapid spread of coronavirus and surging militant violence that saw dozens killed in brutal attacks last week.

"In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued Taliban violence against their fellow Afghans, it is more important than ever that all Afghan leaders unite and work towards enduring peace in Afghanistan," Stoltenberg said.

"All parties should seize this unprecedented opportunity for peace."

Under the agreement, Abdullah will lead future peace talks with the Taliban, who have already signed a landmark accord with Washington to pave the way for the withdrawal of foreign forces -- including NATO s training mission -- from Afghanistan.

But the chances of peace are uncertain, with fighting still raging between the Taliban and Afghan forces in the provinces.

NATO ended combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014 but maintains a 16,000-strong mission to train, advise and support local forces.