Sediq Sediqqi on Trump’s Cancelled Talks With the Taliban

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Can I start by asking you, first and foremost, was President Ghani invited to the secret summit in Camp David? Were you packing your bags and planning to go there?

SEDIQ SEDDIQI, AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN: Hello, Christiane, and it’s a pleasure to be in your program. There were communications in the past few days of a possible trip to the United States so that the Afghan president can share and discuss the people’s concern about a possible deal that was on the brink to be signed. So, we had our observations. We had our concerns about that deal. And the president wanted to travel and share those concerns with a leadership of the United States. Mr. Seddiqi, from what I kind of interpret you were saying is that President Ghani, if he was going, was not going to approve a deal and sign a deal, as we understand the White House wanted, but rather to oppose this deal. Am I reading you correctly?

SEDDIQI: Yes. So — and the last days of the nine rounds of the talks between Mr. Khalilzad and the Taliban in Qatar, when he came to Kabul, so

he briefed the Afghan president and the Afghan president had his own concerns about that deal. So, we asked for more details. We asked for

those questions — answers for those questions that we had. And at some point, the president, you know, decided to travel to the United States or

to take up this issue with a leadership of the United States.

So, in the past, like, 10 days, there was a communication between Kabul and Washington, D.C., so that we can discuss together this and present what we

think of the concerns that are reflected from the nation, from the people.

AMANPOUR: Okay. So —

SEDDIQI: So that was something was happening but — yes.

AMANPOUR: So, before I ask you about your concerns, I want to know why you believe this meeting was cancelled. Why did President Trump decide not to

go forward?

SEDDIQI: Well, we strongly believe there is — the decision that was taken by President Trump is a general reflection of the concerns not only the

Afghan people have in regards to a flawed deal or a deal that will only give elevation or leverage to a group that is heavily involved in violence.

So, that was our belief and still is our belief [13:05:00]. And also, we believe that that decision is a very strong understanding of the concerns

we share with most of those officials in the United States.