ISLAMABAD – New Breakthrough development Reported in Afghan Peace deal.
President Ashraf Ghani, who took the oath of office for president for asecond term on Monday, vowed to issue a decree on the release of Talibanprisoners on Tuesday, and he also said that on the same day the negotiatingteam will be finalized.
The release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners from the Afghan government’scustody is part of the US-Taliban deal that is intended to open the way forintra-Afghan negotiations, for which Ghani’s administration must announce anegotiating team.
US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, the US charge de affaires Ross Wilson,the US and NATO forces commander Gen. Scott Miller and the ambassadors ofthe EU, Canada, Australia, Spain, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Bahrain, China,Indonesia, Turkmenistan India, and Pakistan attended the swearing-inceremony at the Presidential Palace.
“I will issue a decree tomorrow (Tuesday) on the details of the process,”Ghani said, referring to the prisoners’ release. “Fortunately, we haveachieved a framework so that there is a comprehensive reduction in violencein exchange for the prisoners’ release.”
He said the negotiating team will be finalized on Tuesday.
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“This negotiating team has been finalized after consultations withinfluential figures, members of the civil society, women, youths andrepresentatives of the ulema and different levels of people,” Ghani added.
He also said that his new cabinet will be formed within the next two weeks.
“The government that I will form in the near future will not be a monopolyof the State Builder team (Ghani’s campaign team),” he added. “The end ofthe election is the victorious views and thoughts of the republic.”
