Afghanistan's warring factions agreed yesterday, after three days of UN-mediated talks, to share power and work to hammer out a permanent ceasefire.
Representatives of the ruling Islamic Taliban militia and the opposition coalition based in northern Afghanistan told a joint news briefing in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, that they would meet again in Afghanistan to thrash out the details.
"In order to join both the groups, we have agreed to have a shared executive, a shared legislation and a shared judiciary," Mr Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil, leader of the three-man delegation from the Taliban, announced through an interpreter.
The agreement, reached after intense, secret talks which often lasted well into the night, also called for the exchange of 20 prisoners each.
"I am optimistic and hopeful that at the next round of talks we will be able to announce a permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan," said Mr Mohammad Younus Qanouni, a senior opposition figure and head of their four-man group, through a translator.
Mr Muttawakil was also upbeat, saying a permanent ceasefire would automatically follow any establishment of a shared power structure. "When we agree on the details and personnel of the government then we can agree to have a ceasefire," he said.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the only countries to recognise the Taliban government, which controls more than 90 per cent of Afghan territory. Pakistan was quick to hail the agreement. "It's a very good start for finding a negotiated solution to establish durable peace in Afghanistan," the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr Satraj Aziz, said in Islamabad.
The delegations, looking tired, said any shared power structure would represent different ethnic groups. The contentious issue of how the government would be divided up between them had yet to be finalised, they added.
Mr Qanouni said autonomy for some ethnic groups within Afghanistan was not currently on the agenda.
"Our definition of a broad-based government means a strong central government where everybody is represented," he said.
He added that special task forces may be established to iron out technical questions which had yet to be addressed. The delegations said the next round would take place some time after the Ide-Qorban Muslim holiday in about two weeks' time.
While representing a significant step towards ending years of bloodshed, the Ashgabat accord is only the start of what promises to be a delicate process.
As if to underline the fragility of the situation in war-torn Afghanistan, the Taliban delegation confirmed that there had been some preparations for further military offensives, but that they were "not that considerable". UN sources confirmed that there had been "low-level fighting" between the sides during the talks, a fact both delegations recognised.
Mr Qanouni said: "We have had talks and negotiations in the past. This is the first time we have been able to create an atmosphere of trust and take a step towards a political solution to the Afghan crisis."