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Foreign Minister Steinmeier on the presidential elections in Afghanistan: “Now is the time to act.”
The result of the presidential elections, which have been going on for almost three months now, will be made known soon. Afghanistan thus finds itself at a critical point in its development.
Commenting on this, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued the following statement in Berlin today (11 September):
The time for further negotiations is drawing to a close. Now is the time to act. I urge the two presidential candidates, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, to agree now on a government of national unity.
Only a peaceful outcome of this election can pave the way to a better future. Only by working together can the huge challenges facing Afghanistan be mastered.
The people of Afghanistan, who courageously defied the Taliban and went to the polling stations in large numbers, as well as the international community, which wants to continue providing generous support for the country’s reconstruction, are entitled to expect the two candidates to live up to their historic responsibility in this serious situation. Afghanistan’s future must be given priority over selfish interests.
