Kabul
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said on Tuesday no peace deal between the Taliban and the United States could be finalised without involving his government as “the decision-maker”.

Ghani’s government has so far been shut out of the evolving peace talks between Taliban negotiators and US envoys to end more than 17 years of war, with the hardline Islamist movement branding his government a US puppet.

He made his remarks in a television interview as Afghan opposition politicians, including his predecessor Hamid Karzai, met Taliban representatives in Moscow.

“No power in the country can dissolve the government,” said Ghani, who added he was ready to “stand and defend our country”. With both sides hailing progress in talks in Qatar last month, US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is due to meet Taliban representatives there again on February 25.

Ghani’s comments were some of the most extensive since he met Khalilzad in Kabul last week after the latest round of talks.Their military partnership was “unwavering” and would remain until a lasting and inclusive peace was achieved, he said.