United Nations, United States, March 10 (AFP/APP): The United States has called for a Tuesday vote at the UN Security Council to endorse Washington’s deal with the Taliban that was meant to pave the way to peace in Afghanistan, diplomats said. The US military has begun withdrawing troops as part of the pullout agreed in the February 29 agreement with the Taliban. The request for a UN vote came after hard negotiations that began one week ago, diplomats said Monday. China requested in the last draft, already revised three times, that the resolution mention “regional cooperation,” the sources told AFP. The resolution comes amid a series of institutional crises in Afghanistan, following the double swearing-in Monday of President Ashraf Ghani and his rival and former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, both of whom claimed victory in the recent presidential election. According to the draft text seen by AFP, the Security Council “urges the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to advance the peace process, including by participating in intra-Afghan negotiations through a diverse and inclusive negotiating team composed of Afghan political and civil society leaders, including women.” The US’s request that the Security Council adjust its agreement with the Taliban … Continue reading US calls for Tuesday UN vote on Taliban deal