From Delaying Election to Interim Government; April 20 Election Becomes Bit Clear
The formation of an interim administration has been raised in the past year. Political sources say the issue of delaying presidential election is related to the formation of the interim government.
These days the debate over presidential election dimmed against peace process with the Taliban group. According to the IEC’s timeline, the Afghan presidential election is expected to be held on 20 April 2019.
However, last week, when the second round of Zalmay Khalilzad’s mission began to the region, the presidential election which was a hot issue of the country’s politics, was sidelined and the discourse of delaying the election and the formation of interim government highlighted.
The formation of an interim administration has been raised in the past year. Political sources say the issue of delaying presidential election is related to the formation of the interim government.
In response to the plan of interim government, the presidency said that the presidential election will be held on the determined time.
During a press conference on Sunday afternoon in capital Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad said that I hope we reach a deal with Taliban before the upcoming presidential election scheduledd for April 2019. Khalilzad’s remarks indicate that the priority for the United States of America is reaching a peace deal with the Taliban rather than the presidential election.
America – the major supporter of Kabul – pushes to end the war and reach an agreement with the Taliban after 18 years of presence and spending on the Afghan war. According to reports, Mr Khalilzad has a six-month mission to make the peace process successful with the armed oppositions. Unlike all efforts, the issue of peace with the Taliban is not transparent.
Contrary to the US former position against the Afghan war, the US’s joint chief of staff General Dunford has recently said that he thinks the Taliban are not losing in Afghanistan. This also clearly indicates that the priority for the White-House is reconciliation with the Taliban and holding the presidential election.
The author believes the Afghan government should coordinately move with the Americans in talks with the Taliban. Currently, for many, the suspension of the presidential election and compromise with the Taliban is a misleading debate.
The government of Afghanistan should maintain the achievements and democratic values and reach an agreement with the Taliban group. It is true that peace is one of the basic needs of a society, but the price of peace must be defined. We will wait for the peace before the presidential election.
Akhtar Suhail – (DID) Press Agency
Translated by Taher Mojab
