Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in an interview with PBS TV network said; “If there is war, I am the commander in chief. I will not abandon my people. I will not abandon my forces. I am willing to die for my country. I have no interest in power. I’m committed to the principle of ensuring order. Afghan society wants order”.
As far as the state of war is concerned, we’re ready. We have been ready for months. The U.S. withdrawal is a strategic decision that clarifies a lot of things. The war will become simpler, because their — all their allegations of international conspiracy or international desire to stay permanently, et cetera, has now come to an end. We need to work together. And the other factor is the region. The region now is glad the U.S. has no intentions of a long-term stay. Consequently, we need to get together to arrive at collective security strategy, President Ghani added.
The Taliban are not holding. The Taliban are carrying sporadic attacks. It is a destructive force, not holding of territory. Arghandab was the only district in Kandahar where they tried to hold. And now the people hate them with passion, President Ghani stated.
The key to a political dialogue is that the Taliban accept that the future political system of Afghanistan is based on elections. That is the fundamental bottom line. Other things are discussible, negotiable. But if that fundamental issue is not granted, then the question of rights and the question of gains that have occurred in the last 20 years, particularly vis-a-vis women, youth, minorities, all walks of life, will be put into question, President Ghani said.
The threat of terrorism has changed. It has not disappeared. We are all agreed on this. Two, the United States is committed to support things, providing support. This is financial, in the security area, in the economic area, in the humanitarian area, because the United States, fortunately, shares the values of supporting the gains of the last 20 years. And our discussion is enormously productive. The same, fortunately, applies to NATO members and non-NATO members who have been our partners, President Ghani further added.
The basic issue is citizenship. Our constitution is amendable, except in two areas. One, the Islamic character of the state cannot be amended. Second, the rights of citizens can only be improved through amendment, not — so it is crucial that we remain focused on the values that holds the society and gives it hope, President Ghani assured.
If Taliban want peace, then it has to be peace that respects the gains of the citizens of Afghanistan and among them, first and foremost, women.
If they do in the want peace and want to gain power through violence and impose remember, a dictatorial regime, than the — all the patriotic forces of Afghanistan would have to rally and make a decision. And that issue, unfortunately, would have to be decided on the field of battle, President Ghani stated.
M.A.Ansari
