Afghan Senators in Kabul on Tuesday called on the newly elected president, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, to take a clear stance on the Taliban and Pakistani military in order to address the most pressing security threats facing the country.
 
“Foreign policy has not been clarified yet, and this issue existed in the past too,” Senate Deputy Muhammad Alam Ayzadyar said. "We hope that the new government will set up a foreign policy regarding neighbor countries, the region and the world.”

The comments come just a day after Ashraf Ghani was inaugurated, but amid a Taliban offensive that has been waged for several months in different parts of Afghanistan. With relations between Kabul and Islamabad also at a low point, in part over the cross-border attacks by the Pakistani military, there are no doubt many foreign policy issues that will need to be grappled with in the near term.
 
Senator Gullalay Akbari said the Afghan people are desperate for peace and security, and he hopes Ghani brings stability to the country. But his fellow senators made it clear that the new president would need to take a firm stance to be successful.
 
"If the situation goes on like this and the new government follows a policy of supplication, peace and security will never come to the country,” Senator Hadaitullah Rahai said.

The senators emphasized that resolving issues with neighboring countries would be the first step in the right direction for the new administration. “The government should make a better policy for the region and world especially for neighboring countries, which could be really helpful for the resolution of issues in Afghanistan,” Senator Ali Akbar Jamshid said.
 
Ghani’s inauguration speech on Monday largely focused around fighting corruption and reforming the judiciary. The National Assembly, however, seems to want to see the Presidential Palace give more attention to people’s concerns regarding insecurity.