Tahkim-e Solh is a Government of Afghanistan initiative to repatriate non-criminal combatants and insurgents, such as members of the Taliban, Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin and other anti-Coalition militia, and bring them back into Afghan society.

Al-Mojaddedi discussed the charter of Afghan President Hamid Karzai that led to the development of the Tahkim-e Solh Commission, which will operate the program. He spoke of the process to “help unite Afghanistan and guarantee our country’s sovereignty, peace, stability, and a secure environment for all Afghans.”

On the issue of two of the most-wanted insurgents, Mullah Omar and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Al-Mojaddedi said, “See, brothers, these two people can’t do anything by themselves. There are some other hands that support them in their operations. If those hands, who are their friends and colleagues who are supporting them, come and join this process, they can not do anything alone. We have reports that these two individuals are tired of hiding sometimes in one cave and sometimes in the other cave. If they come, and we see their conditions -- if their conditions meet our requirements, we and the government will both accept them. If their conditions do not meet our requirements, of course we will not accept them.”

He closed the press conference by encouraging Afghans to live together as brothers as their grandparents lived in the past and to not allow enemies to break them apart.

For a transcript of Al-Mojaddedi’s opening statement at the press conference, visit http://www.cfc-a.centcom.mil/main/Transcripts.asp?id=50