Afghanistan's re-elected President Ashraf Ghani has called on his country to unite to find peace, in a press statement delivered after a meeting with tribal leaders at the Presidential Palace on Monday, amid a week-long reduction in violence that could serve as a precursor to a US-brokered peace deal
KABUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th February, 2020) Afghanistan's re-elected President Ashraf Ghani has called on his country to unite to find peace, in a press statement delivered after a meeting with tribal leaders at the Presidential Palace on Monday, amid a week-long reduction in violence that could serve as a precursor to a US-brokered peace deal.
"At this critical stage, everyone should unite to ensure lasting peace and stability, and to end the conflict," the president stated.
Ghani said that the government should play a leading role in peace talks, as it is the only institution that is responsive to, and supported by, the entire nation. He also instructed all Afghans to put personal divides aside to carry out a duty that has national importance.
"It is our responsibility to put personal issues aside, unite to save the country and the people from war and disaster, in order to ensure lasting peace and to address the problems of the people," the president said.
Afghanistan has been torn apart by conflict for four decades, and the president called for negotiators to be flexible in order to resolve the long-running crisis.
"The powers of the negotiating delegation are limited. There should be flexibility on the part of the delegation that means that there will be change and efficiency depending on the relevant needs and issues," Ghani stated.
Finally, the president called on the Taliban to be responsive to efforts to secure peace.
On Sunday, the Taliban stated that a week-long reduction of violence deal agreed with the United States was limited only to Afghanistan's major cities and centers. However, a Qatari source told Sputnik that the militant group's attacks had decreased by 80 percent since the agreement came into force.
A long-awaited peace deal could be signed on February 29, if the commitment to reduce violence holds. US President Donald Trump has voiced his support to the proposals, stating that he would put his name on the US-Taliban peace deal should the Taliban limit its militant activity.
Afghans went to the polls in September, but the result of the presidential election was not announced until February 19. Ghani was declared the winner after receiving 50.64 percent of the vote. The Taliban called the elections "fake," and stated that Ghani was the country's "unlawful" president. �
