The Presidential Palace on Monday reported progress in ending the dispute between President Ghani and his political opponent Abdullah Abdullah – who also reported development in the process earlier this week and vowed a soon-to-come political agreement.
Further details were not provided on this matter by presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi who addressed a press conference on Monday, saying “there is progress, the talks are underway and there has been progress.”
Abdullah on Saturday said agreements in principle have been achieved and that talks are underway about details.
Sources close to Abdullah said that based on the agreement – that is expected to be finalized between the two sides--Abdullah will chair the High Council of Peace and Reconciliation, but the head of the Jamiat-e-Islami, a close supporter of Abdullah, currently opposes this plan.
The sources also said big issues between the Presidential Palace and the Sapidar Palace have been resolved and that now talks are underway on the share of power within three key institutions.
The three institutions, according to the sources, are the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance as well as the Attorney General’s Office.
“There has been agreement in general. Talks are underway about details. The technical teams of the two sides are working on these details,” said Abdullah Qarloq, the deputy head of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan led by former vice president Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum.
Abdullah’s team previously insisted on invalidating the election results but there is no details about the status of this issue in discussions between the two sides.
“A fundamental solution should have (the following) principles: last year’s elections results should be invalidated, there should be active political participation in ending the political issues, and a political solution should lead us towards the intra-Afghan negotiations and peace,” said Fazl Hadi Wazin, a member of Hizb-e-Islami.
“The plan that is proposed should ensure unity among all political movements; otherwise, it will create division,” said Shahzada Massoud, an analyst and an aide to former president Hamid Karzai.
The political tension emerged after the announcement of the election results in February, after which both candidates – Ghani and Abdullah – held inaugurations on the same day.