Ghani Says Temporary Peace Not Acceptable

Amid the ongoing U.S.-Taliban peace talks to reach into a political settlement in Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani says he would not accept a temporary peace in the country.

Addressing a ceremony to praise Afghan special forces in the Presidential Palace on Saturday, Ghani said that those forcing people to hold peace talks must avoid discussing the issue of dissolving the country’s army. 

The president made the remarks in reaction to a video issued by a senior Taliban member, and former head of the Qatar office, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai who said after reaching a peace deal the Afghan army should be dissolved.

In part of his speech, the president also challenged the insurgents to a face-to-face fight with the Afghan national forces instead of carrying out suicide attacks and explosions.

His response comes at a critical moment as the international community led by the United States is trying to reach into an agreement with the Taliban end to 17 years of bloodshed in the country.

The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said last week that they have made significant progress in peace talks with the Taliban and that reached agreements in principle.

However, President Ghani said that he would not accept a temporary peace in his war-weary country.  

“A peace that our security and defense forces do not guarantee is not acceptable to us,” he said.

The Afghan government has repeatedly called on the Taliban to join peace process by sitting in a negotiating team, but the armed group has refused so far and instead insists on talks with the United States as their main adversary.

Recently, the Taliban have shown readiness to meet with the Afghan politicians who are opposed to Ghani. The meeting which is expected to be held in Moscow on Tuesday would further anger President Ghani.