US Seeking Deal between Abdullah and President Ghani: Khalilzad
US Special Envoy on Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad says his country is still trying to find a solution to the disagreements between Dr Abdullah and Dr Ghani. He warns that if disagreements between President Ghani and Dr Abdullah continues, the peace process may fail.
US Special Envoy on Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad says his country is still trying to find a solution to the disagreements between Dr Abdullah and Dr Ghani. He warns that if disagreements between President Ghani and Dr Abdullah continues, the peace process may fail.
Zalmay Khalilzad in an interview with Tolonews in Kabul said that he tried a lot to find a solution before the inauguration ceremonies of the two leaders, but the time was short.
He warned that the continuation of disagreements between President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah may adversely affect the security situation, the armed forces, and most importantly the Afghan peace process, which he says is a historic opportunity.
On March 9, President Ghani and Dr Abdullah both held a swearing-in ceremony. Although the election commission declared president Ghani as the winner of the September presidential election, Mr Abdullah considered the result fraudulent and declared himself winner, saying to form an “inclusive government”.
“The US has not backed any side in the Afghan election controversy, but his participation in Mr Ghani’s inauguration was because the US disagrees with the formation of a parallel government,” said Khalilzad. “The US does not want to see part of Afghanistan under Taliban control, part of it under the control of Ashraf Ghani’s government, and part of it under Abdullah’s supporters,” he added.
The US envoy on the Afghan peace process said that Ashraf Ghani, in the course of the negotiations, proposed the headship of the High Peace Council and about 40 percent of the cabinet members to Abdullah Abdullah and his allies, which was rejected by Mr Abdullah.
On peace talks with the Taliban, he said that US hopes, after the start of inter-Afghan talks, the dialogue would reach a result within 100 days as it will include “give and take from all sides”, including the formation of a new government.
“US withdrawal within 14 months from Afghanistan is “subject to the implementation of every clause of the agreement signed between the US and the Taliban”, and if the agreement is violated by the Taliban, US forces will not leave Afghanistan,” he underlined.
“To make sure this agreement is implemented, additional annexes are detailing how the Taliban have to distance themselves from al-Qaeda-like groups, which have been seen and endorsed by Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah,”
According to him, the US has created a joint communication channel with the Taliban group in Doha, Qatar, and the US troops hold a joint session with the group every day to oversee the implementation process of the agreement.
“Efforts underway on the list of the Afghan negotiators and should include representatives of all parties,” he added.
