Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said on Thursday his government would continue to encourage the Taliban groups to join the peace talks and national reconciliation process.
“The message of peace is clear, we want peace, but we want peace with dignity; we want peace talks that must stand on the basis of our constitution; we want peace that must guarantee the rights of our people,” Ghani told audience at a gathering held in an Afghan air force base in Kabul.
Ghani’s comment concedes with the potential resumption of government-Taliban peace talks and the launch of the fourth round of four-nation meeting of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US on Afghan peace process to be held in Kabul on February 23.
The last meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) was held in Islamabad on February 6. The QCG had agreed to set a date for the Afghan peace talks by the end of February.
The first ever direct talks between the representatives of Afghan government and Taliban were held in Pakistan in early July, but the process was scuttled after the death of Taliban leader Mullah Omar was confirmed.
“All Afghans want the peace to return to their country, but members of opponents who decline to take part in political negotiations would only marginalise themselves, and they will only serve the enemies of the country,” the Afghan leader added.
Ghani and other leaders have repeatedly offered peace talks with the Taliban. However, the insurgent group has categorically rejected the offer, saying there would be no talks until foreign troops leave the country.
The US and NATO-led troops completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after 13 years of military presence. They switched from combat to support mission, which focuses on training, advising and assisting Afghan forces since January last year. Nearly 13,000 foreign forces are stationed in the country.
