[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 25 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
[Pages 1079-1081]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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

[[Page 1080]]

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.
    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

[[Page 1081]]

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 
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.