WASHINGTON • United States President Donald Trump has said he would be personally meeting leaders of the Taleban in the near future and rejected criticism of a deal that the US signed with the insurgents in Afghanistan.

He spoke hours after US and Taleban representatives signed a deal on Saturday in the Qatari capital of Doha that could pave the way towards a full withdrawal of foreign soldiers and move closer to ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan.

Mr Trump said at the White House that the agreement should allow the US to draw down its troops in Afghanistan from 13,000 to 8,600. He held out the possibility of withdrawals beyond that number, but said the US could quickly move forces back into the country if needed.

In later remarks at a conservative political conference in Maryland, he said if the Taleban lives up to its commitments, the war will "be over".

Mr Trump has frequently expressed a desire to put a halt to "endless wars" and said he has been personally struck by meeting wounded soldiers missing limbs on his visits to Walter Reed Medical Centre.

But he came under sharp criticism from his former national security adviser John Bolton, who said in a tweet that "signing this agreement with Taleban is an unacceptable risk to America's civilian population".

"This is an Obama-style deal. Legitimising Taleban sends the wrong signal to ISIS and Al-Qaeda terrorists, and to America's enemies generally," he said, referring to former president Barack Obama.

But Mr Trump said: "Nobody should be criticising this deal after 19 years. He had his chance, he didn't do it."

Republican Representative Liz Cheney, daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, said the Trump administration should disclose how it plans to verify the compliance of the Islamist militant group.

She added that Mr Trump's willingness to meet Taleban leaders at the presidential retreat in Camp David last year was a factor in Mr Bolton's exit from the White House. Taleban violence in Afghanistan prompted Mr Trump to cancel that meeting.

He did not say where he would be meeting leaders of the group that has fought the American presence in Afghanistan since war broke out following the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Although the agreement lets Mr Trump claim a major foreign policy success and gives a boost to his quest for a second term, the accord faces numerous potential obstacles, such as sabotage by spoilers like dissident Taleban commanders.

And while the Republican President or a successful Democratic challenger in the Nov 3 US election could order a total pullout before peace is secured, that would risk a Taleban takeover and a resurgence of Al-Qaeda Islamist militants that could require a new US intervention.

"A complete withdrawal of US forces raises the possibility that Afghanistan will become another safe haven for terrorist organisations under a Taleban government," said Dr Seth Jones from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. "The Taleban continues to have a close relationship with Al-Qaeda."

REUTERS

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KEY ELEMENTS OF US -TALEBAN DEAL

TROOP WITHDRAWAL

Washington and its allies are set to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan within 14 months, if the Taleban abides by the terms of the deal.

Initially, the US will draw its troop levels down to 8,600 within 135 days of last Saturday's signing, while completely removing forces from five military bases.

The US military now has about 20 bases of varying sizes across Afghanistan, a US defence official said. If the deal continues to hold, then the US and its partners will complete the "withdrawal of all remaining forces from Afghanistan".

In the future, the US will also refrain from threatening or using force against Afghanistan or intervening in its "domestic affairs".

AFGHAN TALKS AND CEASEFIRE

Talks between the Taleban and all Afghan sides will begin on March 10. The deal says a ceasefire will be only an "item" on the agenda, falling short of making it compulsory. The participants "will discuss the date and modalities of a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire". PRISONER RELEASE The US and Taleban agreed to swop thousands of prisoners in a "confidence-building measure" set to coincide with the beginning of talks between the Taleban and the Afghan team. "Up to 5,000 prisoners of the (Taleban)... and 1,000 prisoners of the other side (Afghan forces) will be released by March 10."

SANCTIONS

The US pledged to begin reviewing the current sanctions targeting Taleban leaders and members, with the goal of removing these measures by Aug 27.

It also said it would start "diplomatic engagement" with United Nations Security Council members and the Kabul government to remove the Taleban from sanctions lists.

AL-QAEDA

The deal calls on the Taleban to prevent groups, including Al-Qaeda, from using Afghanistan as a base to threaten the security of the US and its allies.

The Taleban will prevent such groups from "recruiting, training and fund raising" and will not host them in Afghanistan. The Taleban is also barred from providing them with travel and legal documents.

The agreement does not specify that the Taleban publicly disavow and officially cut ties with Al-Qaeda. Even so, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on the Taleban "to honour its commitments to sever ties with jihadist groups".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE