Govt Rejects Reports of Proposed Interim Administration in Kabul

The Afghan government on Monday rejected the reports about the proposed interim administration in Kabul as part of the peace efforts with the Taliban armed group.  

President Ghani’s office Spokesman Mohammad Haroon Chakhansoori said that the government is committed for the April 2019 presidential elections and that rumors about the formation of a new interim government in Kabul or delay in coming elections are “baseless”.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad briefed President Ghani regarding his second trip to regional countries and his meeting with the Taliban representatives in Qatar.

Describing his regional trip as “positive”, Khalizad said that the United States would continue its efforts for starting of an intra-Afghan dialogue, adding that the U.S. would play more of a supporting role in the talks with the Taliban.

According to Khalilzad, the conditions are ready for peace negotiations more than at any time in the past.

Thanking Khalilzad for his efforts in the Afghan peace process, Ghani said that peace is the essential need of the Afghan people and it will remain one of the government’s top priority.

This comes as the Taliban in a statement also rejected the reports of proposed interim government, saying that their representatives had 3-day long preliminary talks with the U.S. envoy in Qatar and that in the meeting no agreement was reached on any issue.