Karzai Calls for Loya Jirga Following Moscow Talks

Former President Hamid Karzai who attended the two-day Moscow Talks has called for convening Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) to resolve the ongoing crisis in the country.

Speaking with Russia’s Sputnik News Agency, Karzai hailed Moscow’s role in facilitating the Afghan politicians meeting with the Taliban representatives. 

Karzai said the outcomes of the Moscow meeting were beyond their expectation and that he hopes that it could lead to lasting peace in his war-torn country.

He stressed that peace cannot be ensured without ending the bloodshed and having a ceasefire in the country.

The former president also said that Loya Jirga – as the main decision-making address in emergency situations for Afghan people – is the “best” way for overcoming the ongoing challenges in the country. 

However, Karzai said before convening the jirga, “proper” measures should be taken in this regard to fix its date and that thereafter, the decisions should be accepted.

The two-day Moscow meeting between the Taliban and Afghan oppositions was ended on Wednesday. The delegates issued a joint declaration in which they outlined a nine-point approach to promote intra-Afghan dialogue to reach into a political settlement in Afghanistan.

In reaction,  the Afghan government said that the Moscow meeting was not about peace talks but a political and academic debate on peace.

“A statement issued at the end of this meeting is the summary of the two-day talks and has not executive outcome on peace [process],” President Ghani’s spokesman said in a tweet.