How they see it

1. Daily Outlook Afghanistan

Now, for the sake of the future of the country and welfare of the masses, both the candidates need to talk in a very different tone. It was a very wise approach both by president-elect [Ashraf Ghani] and Chief Executive Officer [Abdullah] Abdullah, who didn't mention any controversial issues and talked of the good things in their first speeches after the agreement for the coalition government ... Both should now advise their comrades and partners to avoid comments and press statements [which] may harm this unity government ... Both should be very careful in running this country smoothly and not giving any chance to those who might try to [achieve] their own objectives by fuelling differences between them. Kabul

2. Gulf News

The signing of the bilateral security pact between the US and the newly sworn-in Afghan administration could not have come a moment too soon ... The accord will ensure that Afghanistan does not teeter on the edge - thus avoiding a situation similar to Iraq, which has imploded. The durability of the Afghan forces has been put into focus through repeated attacks by the Taliban and partly due to the inability to form a government well after elections had taken place. With an administration in place, President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah should immediately get on with the business of governance and build a resilient and corruption-free administration for the security and well-being of the Afghan people. Dubai