Ashdown lined up to be super envoy for Afghanistan

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If he accepts the role, the former Liberal Democrat leader may also become the EU's representative in the country.

Lord Ashdown would then have the difficult task of ensuring the three bodies work better together to prevent the country sliding into chaos.

The spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned the job will require a "superman".

"There are too many players who should be partners," added Hamayoun Hamidzada. "They are all doing different things."

Gordon Brown first asked Lord Ashdown to consider the job in July.

But he was reluctant to accept until he won the support of the international community.

It is understood the U.S., the UN, Nato, and the EU have all since agreed to back him.

Diplomats are desperately trying to finalise his appointment before Christmas because the most senior UN and Nato representatives in the country are due to quit at the end of the year.

Lord Ashdown is seen as the ideal man for the job, having previously held a key co-ordinating role in Bosnia from 2002 to 2005, where he is credited with bringing together disparate factions.

He has previously denied he would be going to Afghanistan.

But he has said: "There needs to be a single figure out there pulling all the strands together.

"At the moment there is little or no co-ordination and the country is starting to work against itself."

Last night he was not available for comment.