Post-Taliban agreement signed

A Pashtun tribal commander will head Afghanistan's new interim government following a power sharing deal struck in Bonn.

Hamid Karzai, who is leading the fight for Kandahar from the north of the city, will take office on 22 December, United Nations spokesman Ahmad Fawzi announced today. The new administration will rule for about six months until a Loya Jirga, or traditional grand assembly, can help formulate a more durable constitution and government.

It is thought that this is likely to make Afghanistan a loose federation, to take into consideration ethnic divisions in the country. Within hours of the announcement, major Western aid donors began talks in Berlin on rebuilding Afghanistan. Mr Karzai said he was determined to bring peace, stability and unity to the country after 20 years of war.

In a hopeful sign of the direction the new country will take, two women will be among Mr Karzai's five deputies. The Northern Alliance will keep the three most powerful ministries - interior, defence and foreign affairs. Delegates in Bonn have also called for interim peace force to help the new authority begin work.