A number of prominent political leader will meet with with President Ashraf Ghani and Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, on Wednesday, sources confirmed.
Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf former Jihadi leader, former president Hamid Karzai, head of the High Peace Council Mohammad Karim Kbalili, Batur Dostum son of First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish, Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Mohammad Mohaqiq the second deputy chief executive will attend the meeting with Ghani and Khalilzad, according to sources.
The sources said that the aim of the meeting is focusing on the ongoing peace efforts.
President Ghani’s stance is to hold Doha meeting after the holding of the consultative Jirga on peace, but some other politicians want the Doha meeting to be held on April 14, while the Jigar has been scheduled for April 29.
Khalilzad has stressed the need for timely and credible presidential elections in Afghanistan amid growing worries among many Afghans that the ongoing peace efforts could impact the historic poll set for September 28 this year.
The US does not expect the elections to be delayed, said Khalilzad who has held peace talks with the Taliban five times since his appointment to the post on September 2018.
Speaking to Radio Liberty, Khalilzad said the Taliban and the Afghan government may not reach peace accord before presidential elections, therefore, the presidential elections should be held on time.
“There is a chance that the Afghans may not reach an agreement including the Taliban and the non-Taliban, then preparations are also needed for the elections, but it will be better if an agreement is sealed with the Taliban before the elections,” said Khalilzad.
