the u.s has put forward this proposal of
a transitional and
interim government in which the taliban
would play some role
you see that as a positive development
peace can only come through such an
arrangement if
the taliban and the republic side want
to
end hostilities there are only two ways
for that
one is that the taliban agreed to join
the current government
the taliban don't agree to that then the
only other
option is a transitional arrangement in
which both
sides agree on a functioning system
and then through that functioning system
work for the amendment of the
constitution
at the moment though president ghani he
says there needs to be elections you
can't just conjure up a government out
of nowhere is he
does he need to be more flexible you
think well for for peace of course
we we all need to be
very very very flexible
for all of us the country and the life
of our people should be the priority
he wants an election if the taliban can
issue that it's good enough for us
doesn't seem to be any sign that that
doesn't happen then what do we do
we agree with him that there must be an
election but if that doesn't happen
then we allow the country to keep
staying in this very unfortunate
conflict
and now in that case it's upon
all of us including president ghani to
think of an alternative and once you
step away
from transition governed by elections
you don't know when you're going to see
it again
the afghan people want a democratic
setup
we are simply think talking of a period
in which an arrangement can be made for
all the afghan sides to get together and
form
unity and through that unity a
functioning order
to take us to the to the to to the next
democratic order
there seems no indication that the
taliban are willing to accept
democratic elections whether it's now or
whether it's in two years time
do you think i have had no indication
that they will say no to elections
elections are very much islamic if
that's the concern
in a interim or transitional arrangement
could you
uh do you envisage a role for yourself
perhaps another presidency for yourself
no no no not at all i've had 14 years of
my time in office and that's plenty
enough well you seem quite categorical
very very categorical
very very categorical what i'm working
for
is not politics on a political role
what i'm working for is peace for our
people
it seems almost inevitable there will
have to be at least some rolling back of
the progress made on women's rights in
order to bring the taliban into any kind
of power sharing arrangement
not necessarily how can we not allow
afghan women to be part of our
uh political and social life they are
and they will be and then if we're
looking at
retaining democratic elections retaining
women's rights as we currently have them
all things that many in the
international community and many people
here in afghanistan would of course
welcome
what is it that is being offered to the
taliban that's going to bring them in
from the outside
in pakistan women have
the best opportunities for education
bangladesh is an islamic country is a
muslim country
they have had two prime ministers who
that has not
taken away their islamic character so
nor will that happen in afghanistan and
how worried are you about the prospect
of
american troops withdrawing by may the
first
before any kind of agreement is done if
no agreement they
shouldn't the americans want to withdraw
and withdraw completely
they must be responsible in making sure
that there's no
chaos or that things don't go from bad
to worse
and that issue must work with the major
powers in the country of the region to
get that done which the i see now
they're doing
but if they want to stay in afghanistan
beyond
you know may 1st into the long term
in any form that too has to be
responsible
isn't the danger that if america stays
on beyond may the first then
violence will escalate even further the
taliban will see it as a breach of the
doha agreement and
resort to attacking international forces
and
perhaps these terrible large-scale
suicide bombings in the cities
i i hope not i hope not i hope not to
not be
uh calling upon the taliban our brothers
our countrymen not to do that
that that the damage would only be to
afghanistan and afghans and i would say
the same to the afghan government
many people often draw comparisons
between the soviet withdrawal and
the possible u.s withdrawal now of
course that one was followed by
awful violence do you see that
comparison
do you fear that history repeating
itself well if if things are not
taken care of if intentions are not
good of course that will happen
but we as afghan muslim must not allow
that
and we also hope that our neighbors and
big powers should not do that because
the consequences
of that will not only be for us but it
will reach them as well
your overall tone seems relatively
optimistic or guarded optimism yes
is that fair to say but when i speak to
so many other people here
they seem much more pessimistic but well
i'm optimistic i've always been
optimistic i wouldn't give up
being optimistic what what
what else do we have
you