Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Monday said that imposing new conditions to start intra-Afghan negotiations with the Taliban shows a lack of commitment to the process, and that there shouldn’t be any preconditions.

He referred to the Presidential Palace’s insistence on a ceasefire by the Taliban. The Taliban, according to the latest reports, has offered a short-term reduction in violence, but has been asked by the US to commit to a long-term reduction in violence. The US, by all accounts, is not asking for a complete ceasefire before intra-Afghan talks begin.

Abdullah said that any effective step towards a reduction in violence ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations is acceptable.

In this episode host Wahid Ahmadi discusses the topic with Waqif Hakimi, a parliament member and Sadiq Baqeri, adviser to Ghani’s second VP.