Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s presidential campaign team has indicated a desire to see reconciliation with insurgent groups move forward and a openness to a possible power-sharing arrangement down the line.
President Karzai’s government has failed to achieve peace with the Taliban militancy, which has waged war against the central, western-backed Kabul government since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. Not for a lack of trying, though, the Karzai government has unsuccessfully sought out peace talks with Taliban leaders for years.
However, while speaking at a recent gathering of tribal councils and political parties, Anwar-ul-Haq Ahaid, a member of Ashraf Ghani’s campaign, suggested that things may be different if Ghani is elected. He said a Ghani Administration would be flexible in its approach to the insurgents, perhaps even considering re-integrating them into the government.
“We are flexible over temporary power sharing; our policy is that the people of Afghanistan make the final decision regarding who they support, but for a short term, in order to reach peace, we can be flexible in sharing power with anti-government groups,” Mr. Ahadi said.
The comments came at a gathering where a number of tribal councils and political parties announced their support for the Ghani’s candidacy. “Don’t forget to go to the ballot boxes and support Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai by voting for him on June 14,” said Imamuddin Watandost, the head of the Affected People Council of Afghanistan.
But the new supporters had additional demands that went beyond long term peace in Afghanistan.
“We hope that in the upcoming government, merit will be given priority over relations and only merits are taken into consideration,” Afghanistan Youth Movement member Abdullah Rasooli said. "We hope that no one’s rights, especially youth rights, are stepped on - this is our only demand from this team."
Mr. Ahadi assured all the supporters that each of their demands would be addressed if Ghani is elected.
Source/Fuente: http://www.tolonews.com/elections2014/ghani-flexible-peace-talks-open-po...
