KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday said peace was a national dialogue but nothing would be given up as the government would strongly defend the country until the peace negotiations reached fruition.
A conference ‘Components of a sustainable peace’ was organized on Tuesday and attended by 400 people including representatives of civil society and media outlets from 34 provinces of the country.
A resolution letter released by the conference says the Constitution should remain untouched until the peace process succeeds, rejecting an interim government as no solution.
“A ceasefire should be announced soon, civilian casualties and attacks should stop and effective participation of women in the peace talks should be guaranteed,” the letter said.
The resolution letter also stressed prevention of deals that could damage the freedom of speech, guarantees from countries engaged in the peace process and the role of inter-governmental organizations in the process.
A statement from the Presidential Palace received by Pajhwok Afghan News said that President Ashraf Ghani also delivered his speech at the concluding session of the conference on Tuesday evening and told the audience, “Your presence and resolution letter prove that the Constitution is not only on paper but it is in our hearts and minds.”
He said peace was not marginal but was part of a national dialogue. He said peace was not a word but dimensions which should be considered so that a sustainable peace could lead to a stable Afghanistan.
“The goal and the tool should be distinguished, peace is a tool and the goal is political stability through a legal and democratic system”, Ghani said.
Ignoring the Constitution would not take them to survival or national interest. “It is the Constitution which keeps our national sovereignty”, he said.
“We cannot surrender to anyone and we will strongly defend our territory unless the peace process reaches fruition,” he said.
About the management of war, he said, “We emphasis on ceasefire and conditions made for a comprehensive peace dialogue.”
He said peace talks were without any conditions but agreeing on peace needed conditions which should be defined by the Afghan people. “If we come under pressure for illegal action, that is not acceptable to us,” he said.