KABUL (SW): While referring to the importance of political stability in Afghanistan, the new U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass has said that the Washington has always been a supporter of the Afghan government, and the new strategy for South Asia has proved this support.
Addressing a press conference at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, he said political stability in Afghanistan is in the interest of all the countries of the region and the world.
Highlighting the Afghan government’s achievements in various social, political and economic areas, the U.S. Ambassador said that the National Unity Government (NUG) should pass the four major challenges it is facing in the process of nation-building such as political tensions, corruption, poppy cultivation and drug production, and most importantly emphasizing on the nation-building.
Ambassador Bass also pointed to the ongoing dispute between President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Atta Mohammad Noor, the ousted governor of Balkh, saying that these tensions have been a kind of training for Afghanistan in the transition to a lasting democracy. However, he emphasized that the transfer of power in Balkh must be peaceful, legal, and in the interests of the nation.
According to the new U.S. Ambassador, this transition should be in a way that gives confidence to people that the result of the transition is peaceful so that they live freely and build a better future for themselves and their children.
In response to a question about Russian offer to host the Afghan peace talks, Ambassador Bass said that the U.S. is not prepared to participate in the proposed meeting by Russia, and after careful evolutions it will decide on it.
In another part of his speech, referring to the so-called Islamic State group in Afghanistan, the Ambassador said that some have accused the United States of America for cooperating with the terrorist groups, especially IS in Afghanistan, while the US government was neither the creator of the IS nor has it supported this group, on the contrary, the United States of America is the main enemy of the IS and has targeted this group in other parts of the world, and will continue fighting this group in Afghanistan as well.
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