Afghan president extends olive branch to rival camp

KABUL, Afghanistan

President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday extended olive branch to the rival camp of Abdullah Abdullah in a bid to end the political impasse.

Ruling out use of force to end the rift, Afghan president’s spokesman Sediq Seddiqi told a news conference that talks are underway to resolve the electoral dispute with the rival camp led by Abdullah Abdullah.

“The future Cabinet [by Ghani] would be a political one representing all politicians […] talks are underway to reach an understanding,” Seddiqi said.

Abdullah has shared power as Chief Executive of the National Unity Government for the five years with Ghani until a bitter electoral dispute put the two men face-to-face leading to two parallel inauguration ceremonies for the top office in the country.

In today’s news conference, Seddiqi also announced that the office of the chief executive, Abdullah’s former office, does not exist constitutionally.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Abdullah announced on Wednesday that he, as “President of the Inclusive Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” would nominate his own chief executive soon.

“Till then, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, ‘former president of the National Unity Government,’ is no more the president,” he said.

As the declared winner of September polls, Ghani has the international support behind him, but many observers -- including the country’s important western allies such as the U.S. and EU -- have called for inclusiveness in Kabul government and have warned against use of force to end the rift.