NEW DEHLI - Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, on Friday reiterated the willingness of Kabul to talk with the Taliban but demanded violence cessation and warned that the process must be led by Afghans.
There will be no pre-conditions for talks, but a result that violates our Constitution is an absolute red line, said Abdullah in an interview by The Hindu newspaper.
He highlighted the work of the Quartet (United States, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan) to outline a road map leading to the dialogue initiation.
However, he said his job is to facilitate the process by considering that it must be led by Afghans.
We must distinguish the talks with the Taliban from those held by the quartet, because in the end the decision will be made by the Afghans, he said.
Abdullah stressed the need for joint work among the countries of the region to confront terrorism.
He thanked India for its support to advance stability in Afghanistan and described bilateral relations as friendly and open.
The CEO, who yesterday concluded a five-day trip to India, downplayed the danger posed by the Islamic State (IS) to his country. (PL)