Reuters, Kabul :
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Saturday he would not compromise on the social freedoms introduced since the Taliban’s 2001 ouster as his government works towards opening peace talks with the insurgents to end Afghanistan’s long war.
“We will not let the price of peace be greater than the price of war,” Ghani said in a speech before Parliament after the body’s winter recess.
“We will firmly safeguard the achievements of the past 13 years under former President Karzai,” he said.
Ghani did not refer to specific achievements, but these might include more rights for women and greater freedom of speech.
His assurances came two weeks after officials in Pakistan and Afghanistan said the Afghan Taliban had signaled they were willing to open peace talks with Kabul, a push that appeared to be driven by Afghanistan, Pakistan and China, which recently offered to help broker the talks.
The possibility of the Afghan government opening negotiations with the Taliban raised hopes for peace efforts, which failed to get off the ground under Afghanistan’s previous government.
But the reports have also been met with some ambivalence, due in part to concerns that not all elements of the Taliban, now a fractured group, may be on board.
Taliban representatives have publicly cast doubt on the possibility of talks.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Saturday he would not compromise on the social freedoms introduced since the Taliban’s 2001 ouster as his government works towards opening peace talks with the insurgents to end Afghanistan’s long war.
“We will not let the price of peace be greater than the price of war,” Ghani said in a speech before Parliament after the body’s winter recess.
“We will firmly safeguard the achievements of the past 13 years under former President Karzai,” he said.
Ghani did not refer to specific achievements, but these might include more rights for women and greater freedom of speech.
His assurances came two weeks after officials in Pakistan and Afghanistan said the Afghan Taliban had signaled they were willing to open peace talks with Kabul, a push that appeared to be driven by Afghanistan, Pakistan and China, which recently offered to help broker the talks.
The possibility of the Afghan government opening negotiations with the Taliban raised hopes for peace efforts, which failed to get off the ground under Afghanistan’s previous government.
But the reports have also been met with some ambivalence, due in part to concerns that not all elements of the Taliban, now a fractured group, may be on board.
Taliban representatives have publicly cast doubt on the possibility of talks.
