Afghanistan's Ghani says now is the time for peace

Published July 10, 2019
President Ashraf Ghani. —AP/File
President Ashraf Ghani. —AP/File

Now is the “right moment” for peace in Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani said on Wednesday as he once more called on the Taliban to negotiate with his government.

The Taliban have steadfastly refused to discuss peace with Ghani, whom they consider a US stooge heading an illegitimate regime.

But a series of talks in recent days seems to have shifted the needle in Afghanistan's war, with the US and the Taliban claiming to have made significant progress during a summit in Doha.

Additionally, some members of Ghani's circle attended overlapping talks in the Qatari capital with the Taliban, though only in what they called a “personal capacity”.

“In the past 18 years the time was not right for peace, for a realistic peace. Today is the right moment,” Ghani said at an EU anti-corruption conference being held in Kabul.

“If we lose this opportunity then the responsibility (for the loss) is big.”

Ghani stressed that the Taliban and his government must negotiate. “We are the two warring sides,” he said.

Following days of talks last week with US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, the Taliban met Afghan representatives at an “intra-Afghan dialogue”.

The US has insisted on such talks and the two Afghan sides issued a joint resolution pledging a “roadmap for peace” for the war-torn country.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...