<p><a href="/en/afganistan/kabul" class="glossify-link">KABUL</a> agreement signed in Doha yesterday.</p>
<p>Ghani emphasized he would not give up the Constitution and said the authority of the negotiating team with the Taliban would be limited and the final decision would come from the parliament, a <a href="/en/loya-jirga" class="glossify-link">Loya Jirga</a> or a public survey.</p>
<p>The agreement between the Taliban and US was signed on February 29 after around one and half years of negotiations.</p>
<p>Prisoners’ release</p>
<p>Under the agreement, the Afghan government would release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for up to 1,000 government detainees by 10 March and the rest of other prisoners would be released in three months afterwards.</p>
<p>Talking to a press conference here, Ghani said, “There is no commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners. We have repeatedly shared this issue with Khalilzad and other officials,” Ghani said. He said there was need for time for releasing this number of prisoners.</p>
<p>“Releasing a hundred prisoners will need time compared to 5,000 prisoners, we will also discuss on the issue,” he said.</p>
<p>In response to a question if the US wants to release the prisoners, he said, “It is not the authority of the US to do so, we have no agreement with the US on releasing Taliban prisoners. It is the authority of the Afghan government and it can be discussed only in inclusive negotiations.”</p>
<p>However, he said those to be released would not take weapons again and would not fight against the Afghan people.</p>
<p><strong>Islamic Emirates</strong></p>
<p>According to the agreement, the US recognizes Islamic Emirates as a Taliban movement not as a government.</p>
<p>About the word Islamic Emirate used for the Taliban said, “The Islamic Emirates is a word used for the Taliban and the US has repeatedly said that it does not recognize it as a government.”</p>
<p>“I on behalf of the Afghan government assure my people, I will give all my efforts for a stable peace and protection of Islamic Republic,” he said.</p>
<p>Ghani said he together with other Afghans would push forward the peace process as unity of people represented a bright future of <a href="/en/afghanistan" class="glossify-link">Afghanistan</a>.</p>
<p>“If the Taliban think the Afghan people are with them, then come and listen to their demands,” he said.</p>
<p><strong>Intra-Afghan talks</strong></p>
<p>Intra-Afghan talks are expected to start on March 10.</p>
<p>About nature of talks with the Taliban, Ghani said talks between the US and Taliban were limited but they would be wider between the Afghan government and the Taliban.</p>
<p>About <a href="/en/women" class="glossify-link">women</a>’s rights during peace process, he said, “I cannot give up the first and second chapters of the constitution, the rights of men and women are the same according to the constitution.”</p>
<p>“Our power is in our freedom. I believe that any Afghan who believes in Republic has the ability to defend the national interests,” he said.</p>
<p><strong>Negotiating team</strong></p>
<p>About the negotiating team with the Taliban, Ghani said the negotiating team from Kabul would represent values of Islamic Republic and the constitution.</p>
<p>He said the authority of the negotiating team will be defined by Kabul administration.</p>
<p>“The authority of the negotiating team is limited because the final decision maker is the constitution or the parliament or Loya Jirga or a public poll”, he said.</p>
<p>mds/ma</p>
