KABUL (SW): The NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Ambassador Cornelius Zimmermann has stressed that the elections in Afghanistan are long overdue, and shall be held as soon as feasibly possible.
In an exclusive interview with Salam Watandar, he said international community is heavily interested in credible and timely elections, and they have to be transparent. Zimmermann underlined that the primary responsibility for the elections, both for the elections date and for the elections preparations, lies with the Independent Election Commission (IEC), and the international community stands ready to give all support.
“I think the political class, all actors in this country, the government, the IEC, the parties and the civil society have a responsibility to bring that back to the people and to restore that trust in the elections”, he said, adding that dialogue is what a democracy is thriving on. “I would like to encourage all actors to sit together and to think of ways to improve the public trust in the elections”.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has announced dates for the long-due parliamentary and district council elections in the country. Najibullah Ahmadzai, the IEC chief, has announced the elections would be held on July 07 next year.
Meanwhile, governor of Balkh Atta Mohammad Noor’s Jamiat-e-Islami party has raised concerns about meddling, and has asked for major changes in the IEC structure. But, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-e-Islami party is clearly against any changes in IEC and any delay.
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On the peace process, the NATO SCR stressed the NATO will continue the train, advise and assist effort. He said the military effort is important in this country but it will not suffice. “It has to be complemented by a political process. What do I mean by that? That is reaching out to all those elements of the Taliban and other insurgent groups who are willing to renounce violence, who are cutting their ties with terrorist groups and who are willing, credibly willing, to abide by its constitution, who are willing to respect human rights and the rights of women in this society”, he emphasized.
Zimmermann went on to say efforts to reach out to the reconcilable elements should not be spared.
About the external impacts, the NATO SCR said it is clearly understood that peace in Afghanistan can only be brought about if there is full cooperation, the constructive cooperation of all Afghanistan’s neighbours. “What does that mean? A constructive cooperation with neighboring countries, of course, is incompatible with giving sanctuaries to terrorist elements”.
The NATO defense ministers are set to meet in Brussels later this month. Zimmermann informed SW that Afghanistan was already on the agenda of the last Defense Ministers meeting in the summer, and it will be again on the agenda of the Defence Ministers next week. “It will be a dedicated, stand-alone item. We will have once again the Acting Defence Minister, Mister Tariq Shah Bahramee, who will report on the state of play in building up security in Afghanistan”.
ENDS
