Afghan presidential candidates sign unity deal
By JASON STRAZIUSO and RAHIM FAIEZ, Associated Press
Sep 21, 2014 2:52 AM CDT
FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 8, 2014 file photo, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, from left, speaks as Afghan presidential candidates Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Abdullah Abdullah listen during a joint press conference in Kabul. Afghanistan's two presidential candidates were set to a sign a power-sharing...   (Associated Press)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's two presidential candidates have signed a power-sharing deal for the roles of president and chief executive three months after a disputed runoff that threatened to plunge the country into turmoil and complicate the withdrawal of U.S. and other foreign troops.

Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who will become president, and Abdullah Abdullah signed the national unity government deal as outgoing President Hamid Karzai watched. The deal follows weeks of negotiations on a power-sharing arrangement following accusations of fraud in the June runoff vote.

The deal is a victory for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who first got the candidates to agree in principle to share power during a July visit.

The inauguration to replace Karzai — who has been in power since late 2001 — is expected within days.

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