    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [June 15, 2004]
    [Pages 1055-1057]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Joint Statement Between the United States of America and the
    Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan
    June 15, 2004

        The United States and Afghanistan are working together to keep
    Afghanistan irreversibly on the path toward constitutional democracy and
    toward an honored place in the world community as a nation that invests
    in its people and provides its citizens with economic opportunity and
    security. President Bush and President Karzai
    applaud the efforts of coalition and Afghan forces and of countless
    Afghan and international workers who have joined to build a new
    Afghanistan on the ruins of the old. Afghanistan today represents an
    enormous strategic success for the United States and the world and a
    political and economic success for the Afghan people who have endured a
    quarter century of conflict. A country that was seized by terrorists to
    serve as the global headquarters of hate and oppression is now returned
    to her people and has become a land of liberty and opportunity for
    Afghans and a strong ally in the international war on terror.
        President Karzai conveys his heartfelt
    thanks to the American people for their continued support and recognizes
    the American servicemen and servicewomen who are fighting--and
    especially those who have died--alongside Afghan and other coalition
    forces to secure a better future for his country. President Karzai
    underscores that Afghan and coalition forces are winning the war against
    terror in Afghanistan, even as reprehensible but isolated attacks
    continue against aid organizations, coalition forces, and Afghan
    civilians. These attacks will not be allowed to deny the Afghan people
    their rightful future.

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        President Bush joins President Karzai in
    acknowledging the indispensable support of the United Nations, NATO, and
    many international partners in the historic effort to secure and rebuild
    Afghanistan. The effort has been a model of international collaboration,
    and its success will be a lasting tribute to all who have joined
    together with the Afghan people in this common task.

    A Partnership for the Future

        President Bush and President Karzai
    acknowledge the ties of mutual friendship and interest that bind the two
    countries together and pledge to build on these ties, forging a broad
    and lasting partnership for the future. This partnership will embrace a
    range of activities that represent shared interests in building
    democracy, investing in the Afghan people, creating economic
    opportunity, and strengthening security.

    Promoting Democratic Governance

        The United States and Afghanistan share the common conviction that
    democracy is the foundation of lasting stability. Afghanistan has a new
    constitution that offers a solid foundation for its future as a
    democracy that respects civil liberties and the rights of women and
    minorities. Presidential and Parliamentary elections are planned for
    September, and so far three million Afghans have registered to vote,
    including a million women.
        The United States pledges its continued full support as Afghans go
    to the polls and begin to build the institutions of democracy, including
    a Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people. The United
    States will launch a new two-year program to train parliamentarians and
    equip them to fulfill their constitutional role. This program
    complements the efforts of other international donors to support
    Afghanistan's democratic process.

    Investing in People

        The United States and Afghanistan share the common conviction that
    to invest in people is to invest in the future. Afghans will go to the
    polls amid countless tangible signs of progress, including hundreds of
    new schools, thousands of newly-trained teachers, and millions of new
    textbooks. Over 140 clinics have been constructed, 3,400 health workers
    have been trained, and over 4 million children vaccinated.
        Afghanistan's richest resource is its people, and President Bush
    joins President Karzai in recognizing the
    central importance of training and education programs. The United States
    is now inaugurating a set of fellowship and exchange programs that will
    bring Afghan scholars and youth to the United States. The United States
    will also support a new $5 million Women's Teacher Training Institute in
    Kabul to remedy the critical shortage of certified teachers in the
    provinces. Graduates of the teacher training program will return to
    their provinces to train others, engaging thousands of children and
    young adults and building literacy in rural Afghanistan.

    Strengthening Economic Opportunity

        The United States and Afghanistan share the common conviction that
    with economic opportunity Afghan men and women will forge a new future
    for themselves and their country. Afghanistan has a stable currency and
    an economy that grew 30 percent last year. Its cities are bustling with
    commerce and investment is growing. It has thousands of new wells and
    irrigation works and hundreds of miles of new roads that are steadily
    drawing the country together again after decades of war and destruction.
        President Karzai emphasizes his
    determination to set Afghanistan on the path to sustainable economic
    growth and financial self-sufficiency. He recognizes that international
    aid cannot and should not last forever and views private investment and
    market forces as the long-term engine of economic growth. Afghanistan
    has signaled that it is committed to integrating into the global
    economic community and plans to

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    seek WTO observer status. To promote bilateral economic ties, the United
    States and Afghanistan announce their intent to pursue a bilateral Trade
    and Investment Framework Agreement. The United States is also pleased to
    announce that work will begin this month on three new industrial parks
    that will spur foreign and domestic investment. The United States and
    Afghanistan see the power sector as a central priority in the next stage
    of Afghanistan's development and will work together to develop power
    generation capacity and electricity distribution networks. To help
    create opportunities for women, the United States is dedicating $5
    million to fund training programs and grants for small businesses,
    providing Afghan women with sustainable jobs, management skills
    training, and a self-sustaining credit facility.

    Enhancing Security

        The United States and Afghanistan share a common conviction that
    success in establishing security and attacking the narcotics trade is
    essential for progress on all fronts. President Bush reaffirms the
    commitment of the United States to provide continued support in the
    security arena, and President Karzai reports
    that Afghanistan has already made significant progress. Its National
    Army is 9,500 strong and growing, and is being deployed to the far
    reaches of the country. Its U.S.- and German-trained police force now
    numbers 18,300 and will soon reach 24,500. The United States is
    encouraged by President Karzai's decree requiring the disarmament,
    demobilization, and integration of all militias and pledges to support
    its full implementation.
        Building on this strong foundation, the United States and
    Afghanistan announce their intent to establish a long-term security
    relationship that will include continued training and materiel support.
    The United States will continue helping Afghanistan establish its
    National Army--including regional commands--and will further strengthen
    the capacity of the Ministry of Defense and General Staff. President
    Karzai reaffirms his commitment to build a
    strong economy, free of drug trafficking; and the United States is
    committed to assisting the Afghan Government in this endeavor.

    A Long-Term Commitment

        President Bush reaffirms the long-term commitment the American
    people have made to Afghanistan. He and President Karzai join in recommitting both countries to the challenge of
    building a democratic, prosperous, and secure future for the Afghan
    people.

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this joint statement.