Afghanistan, US have coordination on peace: Ghani

KABUL (TOLO News): President Ashraf Ghani, who met with US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and a number of Afghan politicians and religious scholars in his office on Wednesday, said there is a coordination between Afghanistan and the United States on the ongoing peace process — which critics say has not made a tangible process since it first started last year in September.

Ghani said there is a “regular and continuous information sharing process between the two countries” on the ongoing peace efforts, the Presidential Palace said in a statement.

He added that there is a positive environment at the international level on Afghan peace and that the Afghan government, the United States and the European Union are working together for peace. He said Germany plays a facilitator role in the process.

Ghani mentioned that the Afghan government has undertaken a number of practical steps aimed at creating regional consensus around peace.

“The international community has reached a consensus to think about Afghanistan in the long term, not in a short or medium term,” he said.

He said that the recent grand council, also called the Grand Consultative Jirga for peace, defined a roadmap for the Afghan government and that the demands of the council will be implemented “step by step”.

Ghani reiterated that the presidential elections will be held “at any cost”.

Meanwhile, Khalilzad commended the Afghan government’s initiatives for peace.

He said that an international consensus has been created for Afghan peace and that there is a need for a similar consensus at the regional level.

The US envoy said that the peace process requires harmony and coordination.

Khalilzad reiterated that discussions have been held with regional countries and they have been assured that their role will be considered in the Afghan peace process.