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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Afghan presidential contenders in election deal | Afghan presidential contenders in election deal |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has said he accepts that his rival Ashraf Ghani should be leader, following months of deadlock. | Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has said he accepts that his rival Ashraf Ghani should be leader, following months of deadlock. |
| Mr Abdullah's spokesman told the BBC that both men had agreed to form a government of national unity with Mr Ghani as president and Mr Abdullah nominating a chief executive. | Mr Abdullah's spokesman told the BBC that both men had agreed to form a government of national unity with Mr Ghani as president and Mr Abdullah nominating a chief executive. |
| An official announcement is expected to be made on Sunday. | An official announcement is expected to be made on Sunday. |
| Both sides have accused the other of fraud following June's election. | Both sides have accused the other of fraud following June's election. |
| The move follows the completion of a comprehensive audit of all eight million votes which began in July. | The move follows the completion of a comprehensive audit of all eight million votes which began in July. |
| Protest threats | Protest threats |
| A spokesman for Mr Ghani said that there was no longer any dispute between the two sides. | A spokesman for Mr Ghani said that there was no longer any dispute between the two sides. |
| "Both camps have agreed 100% on everything and we'll sign the deal tomorrow", Faizullah Zaki told Reuters. | "Both camps have agreed 100% on everything and we'll sign the deal tomorrow", Faizullah Zaki told Reuters. |
| Analysis. David Loyn, BBC News, Afghanistan | Analysis. David Loyn, BBC News, Afghanistan |
| The creation of the government of national unity will now diminish the importance of the election result. I understand that after the audit the final gap between the two candidates was less than three points - a significant cut from Ashraf Ghani's lead after the first count of 13 points. | The creation of the government of national unity will now diminish the importance of the election result. I understand that after the audit the final gap between the two candidates was less than three points - a significant cut from Ashraf Ghani's lead after the first count of 13 points. |
| A president who has built an international reputation as an incorruptible technocrat is tarnished by the fact that most of the fraud in the election was discovered to be in his votes. | A president who has built an international reputation as an incorruptible technocrat is tarnished by the fact that most of the fraud in the election was discovered to be in his votes. |
| The new Afghan government will have a cabinet of ministers, including the CEO and two deputies, chaired by the president who will take strategic decisions. Day-to-day administration will be carried out by a new Council of Ministers, chaired by the CEO, and including all ministers. | The new Afghan government will have a cabinet of ministers, including the CEO and two deputies, chaired by the president who will take strategic decisions. Day-to-day administration will be carried out by a new Council of Ministers, chaired by the CEO, and including all ministers. |
| One major issue that divided both camps was over appointments. Dr Abdullah won the fight to be able to appoint senior positions on terms of "parity" with Dr Ghani, and "the two teams will be equally represented at the leadership level". | One major issue that divided both camps was over appointments. Dr Abdullah won the fight to be able to appoint senior positions on terms of "parity" with Dr Ghani, and "the two teams will be equally represented at the leadership level". |
| But appointments further down will be "equitably" shared - so there will not be a one-for-one handout of jobs across the country. Dr Ghani is impatient to make major reforms, and has secured the wording he wants on the formation of a "merit-based" mechanism to appoint senior officials. | But appointments further down will be "equitably" shared - so there will not be a one-for-one handout of jobs across the country. Dr Ghani is impatient to make major reforms, and has secured the wording he wants on the formation of a "merit-based" mechanism to appoint senior officials. |
| What the Afghan power-sharing deal means | What the Afghan power-sharing deal means |
| Under the terms of the deal, Mr Ghani would become president, the most powerful position in Afghanistan's government. | Under the terms of the deal, Mr Ghani would become president, the most powerful position in Afghanistan's government. |
| Mr Abdullah would be able to nominate a chief executive officer, who has powers similar to that of a prime minister. | Mr Abdullah would be able to nominate a chief executive officer, who has powers similar to that of a prime minister. |
| Earlier, both sides had disagreed over how the unity deal would be announced. | Earlier, both sides had disagreed over how the unity deal would be announced. |
| Aides for Mr Abdullah said the final tally of votes should not be made public, but Mr Ghani said he should be declared president only after the results were announced. | Aides for Mr Abdullah said the final tally of votes should not be made public, but Mr Ghani said he should be declared president only after the results were announced. |
| It isn't clear yet how the dispute over the announcement of the deal was resolved, or how the announcement will be made. | It isn't clear yet how the dispute over the announcement of the deal was resolved, or how the announcement will be made. |
| The audit of ballots was part of a deal brokered in July by US Secretary of State John Kerry to try to avert a descent into violence. | |
| Both candidates pledged to accept the audit results and form a unity government. | |
| One of the new president's first tasks is widely expected to be signing a bilateral security agreement with the US. | |
| The deal will allow a small force of soldiers to remain beyond 2014 to train Afghan security forces. | |
| Incumbent President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign the document, which is linked to the continuation of aid needed to pay Afghan civil servants, teachers and soldiers. | |
| Mr Ghani and Mr Abdullah have both promised to sign the agreement. |