KABUL - Abdullah says all Afghans have a shared responsibility of defending the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who addressed the Council of Ministers’ meeting on Monday, said an absolute majority of Afghans are demanding the continuation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, referring to concerns of the people about a comeback by the Taliban and their emirate.
Abdullah reiterated that all Afghans have a shared responsibility in defending the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan “because it is an achievement of Afghans and it is not supposed to be compromised”.
“The principle of the republic system has been defined by the Constitution and there will be no compromise in this respect. There will be no solution if we ignore the republic system and the right of voting. Peace will not be a reality by ignoring some issues,” he said.
Abdullah said there is no difference among Afghans on the principle of the republic system in the country.
He stressed the need for government and political groups’ coordination in the peace talks and said defending the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan means defending the president and the chief executive.
Abdullah, who is part of the National Unity Government based on an agreement with President Ghani following the 2014 elections, said the people are concerned about an “ambiguity” in the peace talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha.
“Peace negotiations are ongoing between US and Taliban representatives. Afghan people are hopeful, but they are concerned as well,” Abdullah said.
He added that Taliban should realize that they cannot ignore the existence of terrorists in Afghanistan like the past.
“Taliban’s stance in the past was that there was no terrorist in Afghanistan but neither the Afghan people nor the world will accept it if they (Taliban) try to have the same stance today and say that there is no terrorist (group) in Afghanistan,” Abdullah said.

He said Afghanistan will not need the presence of international forces if there is no terrorist group in the country but added that the country will need the international community’s cooperation in that case.  (Tolo news)