KABUL - Hizb-i-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has said that he wants Turkey to host intra-Afghan peace talks.
This comes as Germany has offered host such talks, which are expected to take place after the conclusion of US-Taliban talks.
Hekmatyar said that the intra-Afghan talks should be held in a neutral country.
“Germany has been fighting alongside the Americans and the UK with the third largest army in Afghanistan after these two,” Hekmatyar said in an interview with Turkey’s Anadolu Agency. “Bonn city is where the basis of this conflict was laid with the maiden conference.”
Hekmatyar said that he shared the idea of intra-Afghan talks in Turkey with former president Hamid Karzai who agreed.
He said that the Taliban also agreed in principal to the suggestion.
Hekmatyar also said that the Taliban had agreed for an interim setup in Afghanistan.
On presidential election, Hekmatyar, who is a candidate, said that it was very likely that the vote will be headed to a second round.
“But under the current government, a second round is not acceptable to us,” Hekmatyar said. “We want fresh polls under an interim government where the president is not a candidate.” (1TV NEWS)