Tuesday, December 05, 2017
Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met chairmen of both houses of parliament, members and administrative panel of the national assembly here Sunday evening and briefed them on his recent trip to Azerbaijan, a presidential statement said.
According to the statement, the president welcomed lawmakers and appreciated their efforts for strengthening of the national unity in the country. The president also said that international community’s vision towards Afghanistan has been changed and Afghans’ legitimate demands were taken practical shapes after decades of suffering and giving much sacrifices.
The president called poverty as the biggest threat, hoping national-wide consensus and coordination to put end to such threats and bring about economic self-sufficiency to the country. He also said new opportunities to glorify future of the country, adding such opportunities were due to Afghan National and Security Forces’ sacrifices in war on terror as well as lawmakers’ crucial role in national solidarity.
Hinting to coordination among the three forces of the country, the president thanked national assembly for timely approving of the laws.
“Reforms impossible without law. It might be known for you that I am supporting law and act based on the law,” the president told the lawmakers.
The president briefed the meeting on his visits to United States, India, UAE and Azerbaijan, saying his trip was focusing equipping of the Commando and air forces, economic cooperation, transit and trade.
The president called India a good partner of Afghanistan, saying India had supported many uplift and infrastructural projects in Afghanistan and emphasized on bolstering the bilateral ties.
The president said Afghanistan didn’t have any secret agreement with any country, adding would not allow anyone to use Afghan soil for their own interest. “We have joint economic interest with India and we try to use such economic ties for development of our economy.”
The president addressing the lawmakers said UAE to soon host a big conference on Afghanistan, adding the meeting to discuss supporting of Afghanistan’s big projects through UAE development fund, investments, marketing and employment.
The president said his meeting with Azerbaijan officials were focusing on Lapis Lazuli road, saying Baku to turn Afghanistan’s biggest exporting target and the country would ease opportunities for Afghans.
Meanwhile the president said TAPI pipeline to reach Afghanistan in upcoming three months, asking lawmakers from those provinces where the pipeline to be extended to spare no effort in security of the project in close coordination of the local people.
Lower House Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi thanked President Ghani for holding a joint meeting, calling such meeting beneficial for tightening of the relations between government and the national assembly.
“Defending the national interest is our shared responsibility. This is not only responsibility of the government, but ours as well,” he added, thanking the president for introducing the minister-designates for vote of confidence.
Ibrahimi said national assembly was working on a draft to support government’s programs and would share it with the government. He also criticized those commenting against the government, saying they can present their effective plans to government instead of making criticizing statements.
Meanwhile Fazil Hadi Muslimyar chairman of the upper house assured the president of national assembly’s full cooperation, saying they would support government and its programs for the nation.
Upper House Chairman called president’s foreign visits to the interest of Afghanistan, calling them unique in term of boosting infrastructures, economic sustainability, transits and trade with the regional countries.
