Talks will solve political rifts: Waheed Omer

KABUL (TOLOnews): The Presidential Palace said efforts are underway to resolve the political rifts.

Waheed Omer, President Ashraf Ghani’s senior adviser for public and strategic affairs, said that talks will continue in order to end the political crisis between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah.

Omer says the president is busy working to address the coronavirus in the country.

“There are talks– some people are sitting and talking, and the President is also visiting people and sitting and talking. There are rifts but we can’t call it a crisis–obviously efforts exist on both sides (Ghani and Abdullah) to resolve the matter,” said Omer.

Omid Maisam, deputy spokesman for Abdullah Abdullah, also spoke of the continued efforts of politicians to end the political rifts between Ghani and Abdullah, and urged the formation of a comprehensive and inclusive government.

“Efforts are underway at various levels and we hope to finally reach an understanding about a comprehensive government, honoring real people’s votes,” said Maisam.

People close to Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, a former mujahideen leader, said that he met with Abdullah Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai, Karim Khalili and Mohammad Yunus Qanooni, former vice president and a senior member of Jamiat-e-Islami, and urged an end to political tensions.

“Efforts are underway to reach an agreement between the president and Dr. Abdullah by Sayyaf and Mr. Karzai, and negotiations are going good, we hope to achieve favorable results,” said Daoud Kalakani, a former parliament member.

A number of political analysts in the country said that allowing the political crisis to continue will have an effect on the peace talks process.

“Sayyaf and Karzai are well aware of the country’s situation, and they want to make a fair decision rather than have it done by the US foreign secretary, Trump, Erdogan or Putin,” said Mosa Khan Akbarzada, former governor.

“There is a need for a political consensus at the Kabul level to guarantee the national interests, and if the politicians do not unite, the Taliban will come and sweep them all away,” said Fazl Rahman Oria, political analyst.

Although President Ghani insisted in his oath-taking ceremony that he would introduce a new cabinet in two weeks and try to improve people’s lives, the cabinet had not yet been announced.