Kabul (BNA) Addressing an event marking the 7th death anniversary of Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim here in Kabul, the first vice president Amrullah Saleh said that there will never be any compromise on Constitution and on the people’s right, adding that Afghanistan will not accept “illegitimate demands” that negate the people’s right to vote.
Pointing to US Secretary Antony Blinken’s letter to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, in which he seeks to kick-start the stalled peace process, VP Saleh said government will not change its stance on reconciliation efforts.
“Our relations with the West and the Americans are fundamental, but whenever our interests are violated, we inform our nation,” he said.
“We will not ignore our Constitution,” VP Saleh said, adding that “we can discuss the election and the date but will never let anyone take the people’s right to vote.” He said the United States can hold a conference and decide on the presence of its troops in Afghanistan or negotiate with the Taliban but added that it is the legitimate right of the Afghan government to not compromise based on others’ calendar over the fate of 35 million people in Afghanistan.
“We need peace,” VP Saleh said. “We understand that peace is a need for us. No one will stand against peace. We will make peace with dignity.” He added: “We will never accept a coerced and imposed peace.”
Echoing President Ghani’s recent remarks, VP Saleh said the republic’s side is ready to agree on the date of the election “if the Taliban agree on the principle of elections with us.”
He added: “We will never bow to a deal by some individuals that endangers the system, our achievements and the people’s right to vote.”
In his letter, Blinken proposed a United Nations-led peace conference in Turkey aimed at forming an inclusive Afghan government with the Taliban and establishing a three-month reduction in violence that will lead to a ceasefire.
At the same event, Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, said he received the letter two days ahead of US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad’s trip to Kabul.
“No one can impose anything on the people of Afghanistan,” Abdullah said. “Division, discrimination and disunity allow anything to be imposed on us.”
Abdullah reiterated that the right to vote is one of the biggest achievements of Afghans that should not be compromised.
Another Afghan politician and senior advisor to President Ghani, Mohammad Mohaqiq, meanwhile echoed VP Saleh’s remarks, saying the country’s achievements of the last two decades will not be ignored.
Mohaqiq said that “coercive” language and a “coerced” peace are not possible in Afghanistan. “The weakness in the message of the US State Department is that they have not recognized Afghanistan’s structure and it has coercive language and a coerced and tailored peace will not lead anywhere,” he said. He added that countries should consider Afghanistan’s dignity.
“When we say that the Taliban must join it is because we have a system, an army, human rights and Constitution. Why should we join the Taliban? We do not want to fight against any party to join them in mountains.” Mohaqiq said.
Meanwhile, EU special envoy for Afghanistan, Roland Kobia, indirectly referred to the letter, saying in a tweet that “Afghanistan has a Constitution, had elections, held Loya Jirgas, has Joint Declaration with the US, is engaged in Doha process.”
He said the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has the support of the “vast majority” of the international community, and “the world in United Nations Security Council and Geneva has committed to protect achievements and Republic.”
