BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua)-The international community has welcomed the signing of a US-Taliban agreement as an important step in achieving a lasting political settlement in Afghanistan.

Representatives of the United States and the Taliban signed on Saturday the long-awaited deal in the Qatari capital city of Doha, calling for a gradual withdrawal of the US troops if the Taliban negotiates with the Afghan government and cuts ties with terrorist groups.

According to the deal, the United States is going to reduce its troops to 8,600 in Afghanistan within 135 days, and will, together with its NATO allies, completely pull out the remaining troops in the following 14 months if the Taliban sticks to its commitments.

The pact also sets the stage for intra-Afghan talks which are expected to begin in early March.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="900"] US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in Washington DC, the United States, on Feb. 28, 2020. Trump said on Friday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will attend the signing of US-Taliban agreement, which could be one step forward to ultimate US troops withdrawal and lasting peace in Afghanistan. (Photo by Ting Shen / Xinhua)[/caption]

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday afternoon at the White House that the first withdrawals are starting "immediately" and he expects to "personally" meet with Taliban leaders in the near future.

Meanwhile, the Taliban said in a statement that it had reached an agreement "about the termination of occupation of Afghanistan."

"The accord about the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan and never intervening in its affairs in the future is undoubtedly a great achievement," it added.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani expressed the hope that "this historic agreement will contribute to achieving peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday welcomed the "efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement in Afghanistan" following the US-Taliban deal.

"The Secretary-General welcomes efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement in Afghanistan. Today's events in Doha and Kabul mark important developments in this regard," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General stresses the importance of sustaining the nationwide reduction in violence, for the benefit of all Afghans. He encourages continued efforts by all parties to create an enabling environment for the intra-Afghan negotiations and a comprehensive peace process," the statement said.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="900"] Taliban fighters attend a surrender ceremony in Jalalabad city, capital of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 8, 2020. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi / Xinhua)[/caption]

Calling the signing of the deal the beginning of a "reconciliation process," Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Saturday that Pakistan is committed to playing its role in ensuring the agreement holds and succeeds in bringing peace to Afghanistan.

"We welcome the Doha Accord signed between US & the Taliban. This is the start of a peace & reconciliation process to end decades of war & suffering of the Afghan people," he said in a Twitter post.

Saudi Arabia on Saturday also welcomed the signing of the deal.

The deal would contribute to bringing stability back to Afghanistan and promote regional and international security, Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.   ■