KABUL (SW) – President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has said forthcoming presidential elections are crucial for state-building and sustainable peace in the country.
Addressing a session at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, he said transfer of authority must be peaceful based on principles, not force. Ghani once again rejected the idea of interim government, and added state building process must not be hindered.
About the efforts of U.S Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, the President said the Trump Administration’s South Asia policy is working, and the goal of it is enduring peace, not abandoning Afghanistan.
He said the Kabul government is ready for unconditional talks, but not unconditional and short-term peace. He said peace should not be elite-based, but citizen-centered.
President Ghani said he shares the U.S. President Donald Trump’s attitude of making the American presence in Afghanistan effective and efficient. He said the U.S. should discuss the final number of foreign troops in Afghanistan with the partner Afghan government.
Ghani said the U.S. casualties and financial investment have dropped significantly since 2016. He noted the consultative Loya Jirga would deliberate upon the peace process in a month’s time.
Highlighting the importance of Afghanistan’s presence in the heart of Asia, the President praised the Central Asian country’s engagement, but stressed with clear reference to Pakistan that others should follow the cooperation path.
He stressed Afghanistan would not go back to the Taliban era of 1996. Ghani once again stressed no parallel organizations can replace the legitimate government in the peace talks.
ENDS
