Ghani says he is not an obstacle to peace

KABUL (Agencies): President Ashraf Ghani on Friday said he is not an obstacle to peace, but he is a champion in peace in Afghanistan, responding to the Taliban’s remarks expressed early in the day who blamed the incumbent government for hindering the efforts to end the conflicts through a political settlement.

Addressing the ASPEN Security Forum, President Ghani highlighted the Afghan peace process, fight against Daesh and the rumors about the establishment of an interim government in a result of a potential peace agreement with the Taliban.

Ghani rejected the prospect for the establishment of interim government in the country in the wake of the past experience and said that he has sworn in to uphold the constitution of the nation.

“We’ve had interim governments. They have led to bloodshed,” President said, adding that an interim setup in Afghanistan would be detrimental.

“The citizens of Afghan-istan must be empowered… Where would I get the aut-hority to dissolve the Rep-ublic? I have sworn to uph-old the constitution,” Ghani said, apparently referring to a key Taliban negotiator’s remarks who said they will agree on peace when Ghani steps down from power.

Ghani said the current level of violence should be considered when it comes to plans to withdraw forces from the country.

“We must ask what is required to preserve the legacy of the US presence in Afghanistan,” Ghani said. Ghani said that no one should underestimate “our resolve” and that “none of us has plans to live somewhere else or abandon this country that has suffered so much.”

Ghani said there should be a strong verification mechanism for Taliban’s commitments. “You have to have ironclad agreements and verification mechanisms… Many peace agreements are Trojan horses. They promise the moon and deliver the opposite,” he reiterated.