WASHINGTON -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Monday (November 12) voiced confidence on reaching a peace deal with the Taliban to end the years-long Afghan conflict.
"I feel that it is now not a question of if, but when," Ghani said of a peace agreement in a video appearance at Johns Hopkins University, where he was a professor.
Ghani said he was offering unconditional talks and pointed to an unprecedented ceasefire with the Taliban in June as a hopeful sign.
"All wars have to end politically. There are very few wars, particularly the wars of the 21st century, that are going to end militarily," he said.
"There is total agreement between the US government and the Afghan government to move the peace process forward," noted Ghani. "I am committed to this, to make it happen because it is a demand of the society."
The Bonn conference was the best platform for Taliban participation in which Afghanistan's issues could be resolved in the best possible way. The ones who call for peace and participate in this conference as supporters and master-minds of Taliban are the same people who previously did not feel the need to engage others, including Taliban, in this process. The United States entered [Afghanistan] at the time when it possessed immense military power, completely disregarding Pakistan's interests. Consequently, Pakistan once again propped up and supported the Taliban, in order to revive its own interests. It has now grown to become a huge problem for the government and the United States has practically become cornered as a hostage to Pakistan. The recent [U.S.] struggles and efforts are in fact an admission of failure and acceptance of Pakistan's demands by the United States in a secret meeting. And this is unacceptable for the Afghans.
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