*President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday, after Eid prayers at the PresidentialPlace, called on the Taliban to use the opportunity for peace created bythe foreign troops leaving the country. *
The prayer ceremony was attended by former president Hamid Karzai, AbdullahAbdullah, the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, theParliament speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani, Senate speaker Fazl Hadi Muslimyarand a number of other politicians and government officials.
“The Taliban cannot have a better chance than this as the internationaltroops are leaving the country,” Ghani said, adding that “the people’s armsare open to them” and end the war.
“Our people know who is responsible for blasts and suicide attacks,” Ghanisaid. “We don’t want destruction, we want development.”
“The international troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan is a greatopportunity,” he said. “The new chapter of our cooperation with theinternational community has started.”
“Today, the region looks at Afghanistan as an opportunity,” he said.
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“There is political consensus in the country, and the Republic is anumbrella for all,” Ghani said.
“Let’s see the Taliban’s intention,” he said, referring to the peaceefforts. “All the politicians want an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peaceprocess.”
“What is your (Taliban) message, what do you want, why are you destroyingthe districts?” Ghani said. Show us one district where you have completecontrol and have built something.”
He mentioned that the Taliban’s war has costed the nation $1billion.
