Afghanistan welcomes China's role in peace process

The government of Afghanistan will welcome any role that China plays in speeding up the ongoing peace process and achieving national reconciliation in the country, Abdul Karim Khuram, chief of staff of the Afghan President's Office, said. "This is our desire and we have wished it many times that China should play a role in the peace process of Afghanistan. We certainly would welcome it," Khuram told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Khuram said that since China has good relations with Pakistan, it could exert some diplomatic efforts in seeing to it that Pakistan works hand-in-hand with Afghanistan in pushing for the peace process.

Khuram made the remarks as efforts for talks with Taliban militants and achieving national reconciliation have made little progress over the past years.

Afghan officials believe that Taliban militants have been using Pakistan as a jumped-off point in their attacks in Afghanistan, a claim that has been strongly denied by Islamabad. He also described China as a good neighbour as shown by the enhanced trade and economic cooperation between China and the countries within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as well as in checking terror activities in the region.

On the proposed Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States, Khuram said that its signing would depend on the U. S. accommodation of the pre-conditions put forward by the Afghan government. "Our president has already made clear Afghanistan's conditions for signing the BSA with America and the conditions include ensuring durable peace and security in Afghanistan, properly equipping the national security forces and stabilizing the country ' s economy,"Khuram said.

Khuram revealed that the U.S. side wants to maintain nine bases in Afghanistan once the BSA is signed.

He also denied reports that the BSA would be signed next month, saying that the United States has not yet responded categorically to the conditions set by the government which are essential to the signing of the pact.

On the peace talks with Taliban, Khuram said that any talks with the militant group would be held in accordance with the constitution. He declined to say if any ranking Taliban leader has already contacted the government for a possible negotiated settlement of the country's lingering crisis.

On the presidential elections, Khuram said that the polls will be held as scheduled on April 5, 2014, adding that President Hamid Karzai has not anointed any candidate.