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Russian Foreign Ministry believes that emerging internal political crisis, exacerbated by two parallel inauguration ceremonies of Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, can undermine the intra-Afghan talks
AT Monitoring Desk
KABUL: Russia has called on the opposing political forces of Afghanistan to focus on reaching national reconciliation, instead of taking steps that exacerbate disagreements within the country, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a comment on two parallel presidential inauguration ceremonies that took place in Afghanistan, TASS has reported.
“We call on all responsible political actors of Afghanistan to adhere solely to common national interests, to focus their efforts on national reconciliation process, which should lead to end of the civil war and to rebuilding of peaceful, united and independent state, free of terrorism and drug-related crime,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry believes that emerging internal political crisis, exacerbated by two parallel inauguration ceremonies of Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, can undermine the intra-Afghan talks.
“The emerging crisis situation sparks concerns of further destabilization of the already complex internal political situation in the country and of negative consequences for the beginning of the intra-Afghan talks, the perspective of which appeared in the wake of the US-Taliban peace treaty signed in Doha on February 29,” the comment reads.
Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated Moscow’s readiness to continue to “fully support the friendly Afghan people” in its pursuit of stable peace in the country.
On February 18, Ashraf Ghani was officially proclaimed a winner of the presidential elections. According to the Independent electoral commission data, he received 50,64 percent of votes. Presidential candidate and Chief Executive of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah, (who secured 39.52% of votes) refused to recognize vote results. Representatives of the Taliban movement called the elections illegitimate and contradictory to the peace process.
