Ramadan Offers Ghani, Abdullah Opportunity to Put Country’s Interest Ahead of Own: Khalilzad

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres (centre) meets with Mohammad Ashraf Ghani (left), President of Afghanistan. Also pictured, Mahmoud Saikal, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations.The Secretary-General was on a visit to Kabul to express his “solidarity with the Afghan people in the holy month of Ramadan” on 14 June,2017 in Kabul,Afghanistan ~ **UN Photo by Fardin Waezi**

Ramadan offers Afghan leaders, President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the opportunity to put the interest of the country ahead of their own, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said on Sunday.

Both sides must also accelerate the release of prisoners. The war on COVID-19 makes it urgent and will also aid the peace process including getting intra-Afghan negotiations underway.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) April 26, 2020

Ramadan offers Afghan leaders, President Ghani and Dr. Abdullah, the opportunity to put the interest of the country ahead of their own.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) April 26, 2020

Similarly, Ramadan offers the Taliban an opportunity to embrace a humanitarian ceasefire to reduce violence and suspend offensive military operations until the health crisis is over.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) April 26, 2020

In a series of tweets, Khalilzad also said that Ramadan offers the Taliban an opportunity to “embrace a humanitarian ceasefire to reduce violence and suspend offensive military operations until the health crisis is over.”

Calling Covid-19 the shared enemy of all, Khalilzad said that the well-being of the Afghan people and the country itself depend on all parties devoting their full energies to the fight against the pandemic.

The envoy also called on the Afghan government and the Taliban to accelerate the release of prisoners.

“Both sides must also accelerate the release of prisoners. The war on COVID-19 makes it urgent and will also aid the peace process including getting intra-Afghan negotiations underway,” Khalilzad said.

~Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)