Afghan govt to present single plan at Istanbul Summit: Saleh

First Vice President Amrullah Saleh has confirmed the Afghan Republic will present a single plan at the US-proposed Istanbul Summit which is scheduled for later this month and that the plan includes the suggestion of early elections.

Speaking to BBC, Saleh said the Republic’s plan, which includes early elections, stipulates that incumbent president Ashraf Ghani will not run for presidency.

Saleh said the Afghan government also wants regional and international guarantees for peace and assurances that no deals are made that gives one group all the power.

Saleh said the Republic’s peace plan is comprehensive.

“One of the reasons this plan will be unified is because the president has made it clear that he wants early elections and that he and his deputies will not be [electoral] candidates,” said Saleh.

However, the Republic’s plan sets out conditional resignations. The plan reportedly states that Ghani and his two vice presidents will not hand over power to a transitional government headed by an unelected president.

“We want a global guarantee, because the world owes Afghanistan, we are not asking for charity, this should be very clear, the deal that is being done, does not mean that a group enters from a window for conquest, coup and killing, these are the important points of this peace [plan],” Saleh said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish ambassador to NATO says the Doha talks need to be wrapped up at the Istanbul Summit and all Afghan leaders must agree on a political solution.

“All Afghan leaders are expected to be invited, as well as all important international and regional players, the United Nations, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States. We expect this meeting to complete the Doha talks. This is part of the peace process. All Afghan leaders must agree on a political solution,” said Turkey’s permanent representative to NATO Basat Öztürk.

Meanwhile, International Human Rights Watch has called for the full participation of Afghan women at the Istanbul Summit.

The organization says the UN, as the host of the Istanbul Summit, must ensure that women take part in the main negotiations and that women do not only engage in discussions on the sidelines.

The Istanbul Summit is expected to take place on April 16, in just eight days, and is expected to shape Afghanistan’s future political landscape.