Afghanistan's rival parties are on the brink of agreeing a power-sharing deal which looks likely to include a woman as one of of five deputy leaders.

After eight days of talks, the four parties submitted a list of proposed ministers to the UN - prompting its chief spokeman to say: "If all goes well we hope to have a signing ceremony tomorrow."

Under the deal an interim executive council will be set up for six months until a "loya jirga", Afghanistan's traditional assembly, meets in the Spring to appoint a government which would rule for two years until elections are held.