[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.