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Government Spokesmen Brawl on Twitter
On October 3, President Ghani’s spokesman Sediq Sediqqi expressed government’s dissatisfaction about the Taliban’s delegation visit from Islamabad. Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Sediqqi said Taliban leaders meeting with Pakistani officials will not help the Afghan peace process.
At the same day, the Foreign Ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi welcomed the move, saying we appreciate efforts of those countries facilitating direct talks between the government and Taliban.
Again on Saturday, in a series of statements on twitter, the two officials quarreled each other.
“Policies on peace is announced by Presidential Palace. MFA Spokesman’s latest comments on Taliban-Pakistan meeting or peace process doesn’t reflect the Afghan government views rather its’s his personal remarks,” Ghani’s spokesman wrote on Twitter on October 5.
The Foreign Ministry Spokesman Immediately responded, saying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the sole implementer of the country’s foreign policy.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the sole implementer of the country’s foreign policy and the entity reflecting on the official positon of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, continues to support the peace process and efforts to facilitate the peace talks,” MoFA’s spokesman Mr. Ahmadi posted on Twitter.
He added that he has solely expressed the official stance of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a series of separate tweets, Mr. Ahmadi further said that “some individuals within the government are still in the electoral campaign mood.”
As the argument was tough on Twitter, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Idrees Zaman appeared at a press conference in Government Media and Information Center in Kabul, saying that any peace efforts by Washington in the absence of Afghan government will be ineffective.
Lawmakers criticized the National Unity Government for having conflicting positions regarding its foreign policy.
“There is no understanding over our foreign policy within the government. The Afghan government has failed to have a unique position at the national and international level and this will have a negative effect over peace and our foreign policy,” said Abdul Wali Niazi, a member of parliament from Badakhshan province.
“The position of Afghan government is clear about peace which is the launch of intra-Afghan dialogue and ceasefire,” said Mir Dad Nejrabi, a lawmaker from Kapisa province.
Earlier reports emerged about disagreements between the presidential palace and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. President Ashraf Ghani ordered a decree for the assessment of appointments in the foreign ministry but Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah suspended the decree, saying it is part of election campaign.