Government can be Part of Peace Process: S. A. Mahmoodi
Stressing on the end of government’s term on May 22, the head of National Consensus and Change political movement Sayed Alireza Mahmoodi said Monday during an interview with a media outlet that the government neither believes in the peace nor it seeks to implement the peace consultative Jirga’s decision.
Stressing on the end of government’s term on May 22, the head of National Consensus and Change political movement Sayed Alireza Mahmoodi said Monday during an interview with a media outlet that the government neither believes in the peace nor it seeks to implement the peace consultative Jirga’s decision.
“The government was pursuing purposes in holding the peace consultative Jirga, which it did not reach to them and now the Jirga’s decisions are not important for the government to implement them,” said Sayed Alireza Mahmoodi. Adding that “the government cannot lead the peace talks either, because its legal terms and legitimacy will end after May 22, and it cannot represent Afghanistan and the people.”
“One should not expect the government to implement Jirga’s decisions, since it has never fulfilled its promise in the past,”
Mr Mahmoodi further said that the government cannot be part of a negotiating team with the Taliban or to appoint individuals for talks with the group.
The head of the National Consensus and Change said that “peace is one of the longstanding aspirations of the Afghan nation, and the people have the authority to decide through which channel they want to negotiate with the Taliban.
Speaking about the authority of the negotiating team with the Taliban, Mr Mahmoodi said, “this team, should get its legitimacy from the people of Afghanistan and parliament can be an address to qualify it.”
“President Ghani has proved that issues which are not under his mandate and team, has no value,” he added, criticizing the president.
He stressed that the government was unable to build a political consensus through bringing all politicians together and it certainly does not have the authority to own the peace talks.
However, presidential candidates also during a press conference emphasized on the end of the government’s term after May 22, warning that all options on the table if Mr Ghani does not stand down on this date.
