Talibans talks
Taliban See Ghani as ‘Obstacle’ to Afghan Peace
ISLAMABAD – The Taliban warned Saturday that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s resolve to remain in office until the completion of his tenure was detrimental to peace talks aimed at finding a negotiated end to four decades of war in Afghanistan.
The insurgent group’s warning came on a day when its leaders held fresh discussions in Qatar with representatives of the Ghani government on developing “a joint agenda” for what are officially known as intra-Afghan negotiations.
The talks between the two Afghan warring sides have led to media speculation that Ghani might have to relinquish power to allow for an interim government to oversee the peace process.
But the Afghan president in an apparent rebuttal repeatedly vowed this week that he was legally bound to transfer power to his “elected successor.”
“This [presidency] is not mine. This seat belongs to the nation of Afghanistan. This system has dignity. You all voted for me,” Ghani told a public gathering in eastern Nangarhar province Wednesday.
“My basic goal is to be able to hand power, through the will of the people, to my elected successor,” he told CNN in an interview broadcast Friday.
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