Monday, July 09, 2012
Tokyo (BNA) Addressing the inaugural session of Tokyo conference president Hamid Karzai said:
“I request friends and partners of Afghanistan to reassure the people of Afghanistan that they are with us towards a peaceful, democratic and self-reliant country and they are realizing their commitments towards the transformation decade through adoption of positive measures.
The Tokyo conference for development assistance to Afghanistan started its official work with an address by President Karzai and the prime minister of Japan Yoshinhiko Nada in Tokyo city.
At this conference high ranking representatives from 70 countries of the world and international organizations are taking part. President Karzai reiterated in his address that I want to attain your support towards development priorities of Afghanistan on the basis of the strategic document of the government of Afghanistan for this conference.
President Karzai appreciated the government and people of Japan for hosting this conference and assistance and generous support from Afghanistan despite the fact that last year due to the tsunami, Japan remained as a stable partner of people of Afghanistan.
He added that we Afghans feel pride over our very close long time friendship of Japan and I thank you for all your support to Afghanistan.
He added that like the two basic past conferences the Bonn Conference in December of 2011 and the Chicago conference in May of 2012 and our today’s conference in Tokyo has its special place in the history of development and expansion of Afghanistan as the basic corner stone in the long trip of Afghanistan towards self sufficiency, welfare, stability and peace.
The president enumerated the achievements of the past ten years in the country and reiterated that the cooperation of the international community should shape on the basis of the present threats.
He noted that despite the achievements, Afghanistan is still vulnerable, its economy is backward, the private sector is in its primitive phase, and our immense natural resources is still remaining untapped.
May we need years so we can with the assistance of the international community realize its long time aspirations.
Emphasizing on the importance for joint struggle against corruption he stressed that I welcome the initiative that would create a joint framework of accountability that is forming the depth of cooperation of the transformation decade.
Touching on his recent address at the National Assembly of Afghanistan the president noted that at the extraordinary session of National Assembly of Afghanistan that was held on the 21 of June 2012, undertook that in the coming two years remaining of my term of office, we will seriously follow the issues pertaining to good governance, accountability towards positive international assistance.
He attributed the future stability of Afghanistan to the stability of the region and added that while bilateral participation and cooperation or several sides with the international community for the future of Afghanistan is very important, we should not forget that our viewpoints for stability and real welfare in Afghanistan can be realized in a stable region and joint cooperation of the region.
Relating to the transition of security responsibility he said that we are making all possible efforts for consolidation of security and we consider this national process as irreversible.
In his address president Karzai emphasized on support, equipping of the security forces of the country, threats emanating from terrorism and extremism, existence of the safe haven of the terrorists outside the borders of Afghanistan, accelerating of the process of talks and reconciliation with respect to observance of the constitution and the importance of Pakistan support from the peace process in Afghanistan.
The prime minister of Japan in his speech to the conference said that one decade ago we gathered for a new Afghanistan in Tokyo.
The people after a long time of war and destruction are moving towards peace and we wish to see improvements there. He added that nation-building in Afghanistan has made progress in Afghanistan and this country has reached to the stage that now she is undertaking the security responsibility of all Afghanistan.
He stressed further that despite the problems, undoubtedly in the past ten years conditions have been prepared for future development of Afghanistan.
Under such atmosphere we can cultivate the seeds of the hopefulness so that the blossoming of reconstruction yield in the country.
Touching on this issue that the Japanese have special feeling towards reconstruction he stressed that the economic reconstruction of Japan after Second World War was not possible without the support of the world countries and meanwhile the encouragement of the world and their share in revival of regions that were destructed in the quake in March of last year in Japan had its importance.
One of the examples of these supports, were the gathering of people in Bamiyan province who expressed their solidarity with the people of Japan after the quake.
He added that Japan as a member of the international community has declared its long-term commitment towards assisting reconstruction of Afghanistan.
The UN Secretary General Ban-ki-Moon also addressed the conference and called holding of the Chicago and Tokyo conferences as important for Afghanistan.
In relation to the Tokyo conference he said that today we are concentrating on another important issue that is development of Afghanistan and the priorities of the Afghan government and efforts for attaining the development objectives of the UN.
He added that as in Chicago Conference, I want to once again stress that we are making efforts for education of girls and further participation of women in the political area.
Considering the transition of security process does not mean a shorter measure, we should give the people of Afghanistan the long-term perspective for a better future and remove their concerns that Afghanistan will not be left alone.
We should continually remain on the side of the people of Afghanistan and stand on their side along with their efforts for ensuring of security, stability, and welfare.
