Afghan president-elect's VP extends olive branch to Taliban
Ashraf Ghani's strong man and recently nominated vice-president, Abdul Rashid Dostum, finally appeared on state television, throwing his weight behind Ghani and extending an olive branch to the Taliban
By Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL
As the Afghan capital braces for high security alert for the landmark oath-taking ceremony, President-elect Ashraf Ghani's strong man and recently nominated Vice-President Abdul Rashid Dostum finally appeared on state television, and extended an olive branch to the Taliban.
The 60-year-old former army general, Dostum, who many consider a man of action rather than words appeared on the state television Saturday in his party's gathering to celebrate the election victory.
Addressing workers of his party, the Junbish-i-Milli Islami Afghanistan (JMA), the former anti-Soviet resistance leader asked the armed rebels what they were fighting for.
"If doctor sahib [President-elect Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai] permits, I would engage in direct dialogue with Taliban and tell them what problems war has resolved for us in the past 40 years," Dostum stated, catching the Afghan media by surprise.
The former army general's crucial support all but ensured Ghani's victory in the presidential election, fetching Ghani up to 90% votes in the ethnic Uzbek-dominated northwestern Afghanistan.
He also served as the power equilibrium for Ghani's camp in the north against rival Abdullah Abdullah’s Atta Muhammad Noor, the governor of the northern Balk province.
"We could have won in the first round", he said, reiterating his former position -- that he would have preferred death over defeat.
Dostum has remained a game-changer throughout the recent history of war-wrecked Afghanistan.
In 1997, his secret deal with the Taliban would allow the black-turbaned militia to enter the strategically important northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif and establish control over almost all of Afghanistan.
Acknowledging Dostum's potential, Ashraf Ghani joined hands with him and promised him the seat of first vice-president.
The ex-World Bank executive Ghani told the same gathering in Kabul that he would form a corruption-free government in Afghanistan.
Ghani reaffirmed his resolve to pursue a result-oriented peace process with the Taliban.
Ghani will take oath as president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Monday, September 29, in Kabul.
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