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“Afghan-Owned, Afghan-Led Peace Process The Only Solution,” French Ambassador

Wednesday August 10, 2016

Kabul (BNA) France is one of those limited countries that Afghanistan has kept friendship ties with, since near one century.
The friendly relation over the course of history has further bolstered the cultural, social and political ties between the two nations. The friendship ties between the two countries go back to King Amanullah Khan’s era, when Afghanistan regained independence, with France playing key role in the development process. In 1922 the country was given a piece of land to have its diplomatic mission which was located in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it plundered due to some unrests at that time. The country once again began its diplomatic mission in Afghanistan in 1945 and was upgraded to the current Embassy in 1949. In the last three decades of devastating war across the country, France stayed alongside the Afghan people and the friendship ties between the two countries improved more than ever. France together with the Int’l community took part in reconstruction process after collapsing of the Taliban regime, which once against opened a new chapter of cooperation in the two countries’ long-lasting history. The country besides implementing agricultural and development projects, has also contributed to a large extent in excavation of the historical sites through DAFA mission in Afghanistan.
The Kabul Times has carried out an interview with newly appointed French ambassador François Richier which is as follows:
Interviewer: Since assuming the new mission as the French Ambassador to Kabul, what constitutes your major plans for Afghanistan?
Ambassador: I have been in Kabul for the last two months, but I have some history with Afghanistan. So it is not something new to work here, and my desire is of course to further bolster the confidence and friendship ties which exist since almost one hundred years. I discussed the treaty agreement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan to ease implementation of some of the projects. The agreement was signed in January of the 2012. The government was changed in France, and the new government confirmed the treaty and engineered its contribution on its part. Since then we have been living on the bases of framework which was agreed upon at that time.
Interviewer: For how long the friendship treaty agreement will remain valid?
Ambassador: The treaty agreement is for 20 years and the framework is for five years. My effort is to set up new programs for the upcoming five years. Therefore, I reached to a number of ministers, intellectuals to identify what would be best direction for upcoming five years’ cooperation.
Interviewer: Afghans are in dire need of peace and stability. In your opinion, to what extent does the peace process have been successful and how do you evaluate the Int’l community’s role on this process?
Peace is something you have to win every day. Last time the quadrilateral group meeting failed as the Taliban was not interested to join the negotiations. So we are back to square one in this respect. Meanwhile, we see that Americans putting a lot of pressures on Pakistan, and we also see that in the region, different stakeholders like Russia, Uzbekistan, Iran and China expressing similar concerns and assessment of the risks which coming from the extremist groups in Afghanistan and is really important to see their efforts in bringing peace in the region.
The concept of Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process remain a valid one because there is no peace process or peace which can be imposed by anyone from outside. It has to come from within the country and for sure there are external interferences which needs to be stopped, but the dynamic of the peace must have come from inside the country itself.
Interviewer: France and the country’s people have been victimized of the terrorism in the recent years and shares the same pain with Afghan people. Does France willing to take active role in Afghan-led peace process?
We have always be open to provide advice and useful ideas. We are not trying to play any role, if Afghanistan believes, we can be useful, then definitely, of course we will join the process as the partner, not because of the friendship between Afghanistan and France, but rather we have international responsibility.
Interviewer: Terrorism poses serious threats not only to Afghanistan, but to the whole world. Do you think that the Int’l community’s efforts in war on terror haven’t got any positive result?
Ambassador: In France, we have been attacked by the terrorists since decades which is not new to us. What is new in current scenario in France, is that most of the perpetrators are not coming from far away, rather they are French citizens and living in the country for a long time. They have external origins which are Daesh or ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and also have national elements. But for a long period, we haven’t been in such a high alert and even now we are living in state of emergency since more than a year which is quite rare. We are currently beefing up all types of security measures. The security forces the same as the Afghan National Security Forces – ANSF working together as the joint forces to curb the terrorist threats. Although there were some attacks which brought fears among the people, but still there were so many other unsuccessful attacks which were prevented by the joint French forces. As far as Daesh is concerned, ideology of this extremist group is to establish a caliphate on international level, which to reach different countries, from Europe to Afghanistan, Pakistan and even now Bangladesh. There are some small Daesh elements in Afghanistan, but I would like to praise ANSF for what they are doing against them in Nangarhar and surrounding provinces. Having safe havens of Daesh in Afghanistan could be very terrible. We are currently engaged in Syria, Libya and Iraq against Daesh as well as fighting against Al-Qaida in northern Africa.
Interviewer: Despite huge Int’l community’s funding in war on terror to Pakistan, the country according to Afghan and US officials, has not yet taken sincere steps, however evidence proved their clear support of certain groups fighting in Afghanistan. What is France stance on such claims?
Ambassador: United States currently trying to convince Pakistan to move for taking practical steps and even the 300 Million USD assistance to the country was stopped which can been seen as part of the efforts to bring peace in the region. We do not have any responsibility in the said issue, but it is really important that Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States work on a roadmap to bring durable peace in Afghanistan.
Interviewer: Since migration crisis to Europe began, insecurity in France took lives of hundreds of the people. Will France take decisive actions against the refugees and what is your message for Afghan youth leaving their country?
Ambassador: For several decades and since Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan, many Afghans started to settle in France, where most of them have become French citizens. They have found very good place within the French society and are very much respected and even their children and grandchildren are moving forward in the social spheres. Now they are the bridge between Afghanistan and France. I know some Afghan doctors that holding French citizenship, but came back to Kabul and serving people. Of course we have seen large waves of the migrants in the recent years, including Syrian and Iraqis coming to France, where most of them were granted refugee status. It is very important that these people understand Afghanistan is their own country and used to be here and build the future of their country. Refugee is not somebody to live the whole of life outside, but moving out for some specific reasons and when the environment is paved for them, then they should have come back to their own country. I know many Afghans who have used to live in France, but now working back here in Kabul.
Interviewer: Afghanistan signed an archaeological cooperation agreement with France for mapping of the Afghanistan’s archaeological sites. Do you think insecurity in both countries would affect implementation of such vital project in Afghanistan?
Ambassador: Insecurity is really bad for archeology. At first because archeologists cannot work properly and at second, it would pave the way for others to plunder such national heritage. Previously, people were digging the ground and were smuggling the relics to Peshawar, Iran, Dubai, US, Europe and other countries, which is now also a matter of concern. We see what Daesh doing against the heritage sites in Middle East which is totally a catastrophe, not only for those countries but for the whole world as they are the world heritage sites. Therefore it is the responsibility of the each Afghans and even those at the highest level of political class to take care of the heritage, because it is not belong to only nowadays people, but to future generation.
DAFA – Delegation Archeologique Francaise en Afghanistan was set up 1922 even before the embassy, which is one of the great successes of our cooperation with Afghanistan. We are very proud to be granted the project of archeological mapping, which is a big task that not only requires mapping, but also technology and people. We are waiting for the agreement to finish the legal process and being officially enforced, however we have already started the initial works. The first phase is completed, including specifying what is needed for the project, so the team will start mapping process. But in a country as rich as Afghanistan where in some areas that you won’t notice, archeological sites would be discovered, the implementation of the project would take time which cannot be limited to a few years.
Interviewer: Does France still provide scholarships for Afghans and is it limited to archeological field?
Ambassador: Yes we have scholarships, and there are more than 60 Afghans currently studying in France. These scholarship are in master degree levels and are more in business and economics, sustainable developments, energy, law, medical studies and of course in archeological field too.
Interviewer: France was implementing some projects through the Provincial Reconstruction Team – PRT in Kabul’s Soroubi and Kapisa provinces. Does France still have plans to implement major and vital infrastructural projects?
Ambassador: This is to be discussed with Afghan government, especially for the preparation of the cooperation in the five years to come. Among the projects that we have, is expansion of the French hospital in Kabul, which is already growing. The other one is further expansion of the electricity transmission in Kapisa province which is running for the last two years.  Now, I think majority of the said province’s in habitants are all connected with electricity which is a real change in their lives. The said two projects are key infrastructure projects and were already approved to be implemented which will create job opportunities and would bring economic self-sufficiency.
Interviewer: Do you also provide technical assistance to ANSF?
Ambassador: In terms of armed forces, we contribute in organizing of the courses in military academy, and we bring the professors to deliver them lectures, but we don’t have military presence here. The other important part of our cooperation is the ANCOP, which is the Afghan National Civil Order Police within the military framework. Their number reaches to almost 35000 and approved to be very successful and doing very good job. We have also plan to setup training centers as well.
Interviewer: Afghanistan’s economic development and stability rely on the growth of agriculture. Do you have projects to facilitate agricultural industry?
Ambassador: There are two majors cooperation in agricultural field which are developing. The first one is production of the perfumes from flowers which is going on in Jalalabad. There is a company in that province, sending flowers to perfume production companies in France and is proved to be very successful business.
In the private sector, there is a big agricultural farm called “Bostan-e-Sabz” in Bagram which is belonged to a businessman who spent most of his time in France since USSR invasion of Afghanistan. Mr. Akram Fazil can be a good example that used to live in France and now working in Afghanistan, and is a bridge between the two countries. He has plan to further expand his agricultural activities in Afghanistan, in particular to make production of fruits and vegetables as well as to process it here inside the country. Later it will be sent to domestic and foreign markets. Within the framework of cooperation with Afghan Ministry of Agricultural, we do also work to improve the production of honey in different provinces as well as the saffron in Herat. Beside government to government cooperation, I am really glad to see the private sector playing its role in Afghanistan, especially the Franco-Afghan cooperation, which Akram Fazil can be an example.
Interviewer: Thank you Mr. Ambassador for your time.
Arefi
 

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