[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.
[[Page 1056]]
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.