Kabul believes in Afghan-owned peace process: Ghani

Thanking High Peace Council chairman (HPC) Pir Sayed Ahmad Gailani for their efforts in getting Hizb-e-Islami sign a peace agreement with the government, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani hailed the move and said that his country believes in Afghan-owned reconciliation process.

Ghani's office in a statement said that the gesture was conveyed at a meeting with Gailani on Saturday.

"We always said that we don't want peace from others and we believe in an Afghan-owned reconciliation. The signing of the peace agreement with Hizb-e-Islami was a big step," the Tolo News quoted Ghani as saying.

He said that his government has shown its people and the world on its will and the commitment for legal peace with dignity.

"The national and international community strongly supports the Afghan-owned reconciliation (process)," he added.

The Afghan President also stressed that "successful reconciliation with Hizb-e-Islami was a good beginning and we will continue this process."

Meanwhile, Gailani during the meeting conveyed that HPC is working on a basic strategy for all insurgent groups to join the peace process.

"We are also considering holding a national conference on peace in the future," Gailani said.

Ghani's deputy spokesman Shahussain Murtazawi at a press conference said that the executive committee from Government and Hizb-e-Islami will follow all contents of the agreement.

The second deputy of the CEO, Mohammad Mohaqiq, said that it is a good opportunity for the Hizb-e-Islami leader to return to the country.

However, the head of Hizb-e-Islami delegation, Amin Karim, said that Hekmatyar will not return to the country until his name is removed from the UN's blacklist.

The draft peace agreement between Afghan government and Hezb-e-Islami party was signed on September 22 in a compound of Afghanistan High Peace Council.

The Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar signed the agreement on behalf of the Afghan government while Mohammad Amin Karim signed the agreement on behalf of the Hezb-e-Islami.

The agreement was signed after almost six months of continued negotiations between the Afghan High Peace Council and the delegation of Hezb-e-Islami.