KABUL - Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Thursday in an interview with TOLOnews said that a delegation from President Ghani's side and a group from his own team held a meeting on Thursday to find a common solution to the election standoff.
“Today a meeting was held between two delegations--from the Presidential Palace and the CEO's office--in an attempt to break the election deadlock, and such meetings will continue,” said CE Abdullah.
Abdullah did not provide more details regarding the meeting, but his first running mate, Enayatullah Babur Farahmand, before the interview, tweeted:” The two electoral teams held direct talks at the request of Dr. Zalmay Khalilzad and Mr Hamid Karzai at the Foreign Ministry hall this afternoon. On both side’s plans for a solution to the electoral crisis were discussed. The meeting ended without a definite result. Elders' mediation was started last week.”
Abdullah’s remarks on electoral crisis:
It will be better for the nation if there is a shared solution, Abdullah said, presumably meaning as opposed to a "parallel government."
Speaking in the interview, Abdullah said that his team's appointment of governors has ceased.
“The "appointment" of governors has stopped now, and it will resume if a solution is not found for the electoral crisis,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah says he is still hopeful there will be a solution to the current crisis.
“Any solution that is agreed on by both sides is better than two swearing-in ceremonies,” referring to President Ghani's scheduled inaugural ceremony on Monday.
“The delegation went to Doha a few days ago, and the Presidential Palace said the delegation had gone to Doha to establish contacts with the Taliban to set up talks among Afghans,” Abdullah said.
So far the delegation in Doha was not able to make contact with the Taliban.
Abdullah says he has never been in favor of a crisis in the country. He says power -- for him -- does not have any value, and he will sacrifice it for peace. (TOLO NEWS)