Terrorism Is Imposed From Outside

Image: Reuters

How can you attain sustained peace in Afghanistan?
We believe that peace is a serious necessity of the people of Afghanistan who have been suffering from the war for the past three decades. We, officials and leaders, in this country have tried our best to convince the armed opposition who have been in the service of outsiders to join the peace process and have constructive co-operation with the government and the people. To this end we have tried a lot. We will have peace only when all the sides in this conflict believe peace is a necessity and the final solution and stop being dictated by other sources. However, so far they have not looked at peace as necessary or a final solution for this country. 

What are the expectations from the Bonn Conference in December?
Our expectation from the Bonn Conference is that the international community, the donor countries, would give a clear picture of how they would continue their support and assistance beyond 2014 and up to 2024. How they would reduce troops but support the Afghanistan government and people in a much more effective and efficient way. 

How do you see Afghanistan’s relations with Pakistan and Iran developing?
We are interested in having friendly and co-operative relations with all countries, whether they are neighbours or not. We are not about to challenge any country. With advances in science and communication technologies, the world is a small place and we would like to have co-operative relations with all countries in the region. Tension and violence in one area will affect everyone in the region. We hope that the neighbours have the same outlook towards Afghanistan as well, but it is up to them to believe that peace in Afghanistan will benefit them as well. They should not support any terrorist groups.

We expect some specific circles in the neighbouring country to stop supporting terrorist groups. I have always made it clear that terrorism is not an Afghan phenomenon. It has been imposed from outside. Some of our neighbours are supporting these groups. We expect the neighbouring countries to not support these terrorists and request them to co-operate to restore peace in Afghanistan.   

What are the options considering that the support continues?
We emphasise on the continuation of co-operation with neighbours and other countries in the region. But whether it will reach the expected objective or not is another discussion. But I believe ultimately all the countries in the region will reach the conclusion that they should follow the co-operative approach rather than destablising another country. In the past 10 years we have witnessed remarkable economic development. Now the trade exchange between Afghanistan and Pakistan is more than $2 billion and between Afghanistan and Iran is more than $1 billion. It is more for their benefit because most of these consist of imports from their country to Afghanistan. So if Afghanistan remains peaceful, it will be beneficial to them.

What are your expectations from the strategic agreement with India?
Afghanistan and India historically have been very good friends and neighbours. In the past decade India has been one of the biggest donors to Afghanistan and I take this opportunity to thank the leadership and the people of India for the support. But we were interested to institutionalise the friendship and co-operation through a long-term agreement to be able to follow up in a much better way. We expect that in the light of this strategic partnership the friendship and co-operation between Afghanistan and India will get more depth. You will see that after the signing of the partnership, the people of Afghanistan, the media and political circles have welcomed it very warmly. It indicates the necessity of having such a partnership. It is not against any other country. As the President said in India, all our neighbours should welcome this and they should not have any concerns.

Over the past few days, I have been reading about parliamentarian Semin Barakzai’s hunger strike for having been unseated from her parliamentary seat and her subsequent arrest. It is quite remarkable and positive that people are resorting to democratic ways of protest. What are your comments?
Like you, I also believe that it was a civil objection in a civil framework with a civil approach in a very healthy manner just to have her file revised. We live in the same neighbourhood as where she was protesting and I went with my family to meet her. I support any type of civil movement in this country. I do not believe in dealing with a civil movement in an uncivil act and behaviour.  

Were you aware of the government decision to act – arrest and try to force-feed in a military hospital – in the way it did?
I expressed my views to Mr President and I just did to you. It is up to you how to interpret.  

As the international community reduces its involvement in Afghanistan, how would the country’s economy sustain itself?
Although there are some concerns in this regard, the international community has repeatedly emphasised that the reduction in the number of troops does not mean a reduction in economic support. In their meetings with us they have emphasised that as they reduce their troops after 2014, the financial and economic support will be increased. At the Bonn Conference we expect the international community to commit another decade of support but in a more clear and transparent way.

The other point is that the government of Afghanistan is doing its best to increase national revenue. Fortunately, we are witnessing an increase in these revenues, whether through customs or exports. Along with it we require long-term financial and economic support from the international community to be able to have a better situation.