01 October 2001U.S. to Assist Those Who Seek a Peaceful, Economically Developed Afghanistan
(Bush committed to providing humanitarian aid to people of Afghanistan) (760) By Wendy S. Ross Washington File White House Correspondent Washington -- The United States through political, diplomatic, military and financial means will assist those who are seeking a peaceful and economically developed Afghanistan that does not engage in terrorism, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters October 1. Fleischer made clear, however, that the United States is not going to get into the business of choosing who rules that country. Repeating comments made recently by National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Fleischer said "the United States is going to be in contact through a variety of means with various people who have an interest and concern in the stability of the region. The United States does not want to choose who rules Afghanistan, but we will assist those who seek a peaceful, economically-developed Afghanistan that's free of terrorism." The purpose of the U.S. mission, Fleischer said, "is to eliminate those who harbor terrorists so they cannot practice terrorism against the United States or any other nations. And we will work with a variety of people, all of whom have an interest in establishing an Afghanistan that is peaceful and that does not practice terrorism." The Taliban, the current ruling regime in Afghanistan, Fleischer said, "has repressed the people of Afghanistan and has now resorted to such measures as taking away the international food that has been provided to the people of Afghanistan. So there really is a difference between the regime that so-called 'represents' the people of Afghanistan, and the desires of the people." Given the fact that the United States is the world's largest donor of food aid to the people of Afghanistan, President Bush and the United States are "very concerned about the actions the Taliban regime has taken to seize the food of the people who need the food the most, and that's the people of Afghanistan," said Fleischer. "They should not be punished because of the actions of a regime that represses them." President Bush "remains very concerned going forward about the humanitarian plight of people in Afghanistan, their ability to get food, particularly as the winter comes, and it's an issue of real concern to the President," Fleischer said. "Again, it's another showing that this is not a war against the people of Afghanistan." Asked if he could confirm reports that there will be additional humanitarian aid sent to the region to deal with the mounting refugee crisis on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Fleischer responded: "Let me say that's likely." In other developments, Fleischer noted that President Bush began his morning with a phone call to Czech President Vaclav Havel. Bush "was pleased to hear that President Havel's health is improving after his recent hospitalization, and he warmly thanked the Czech President and the people of the Czech Republic for the strong support in recent weeks since the terrorist attack on our country," said the White House Press Secretary. "President Havel reiterated the Czech Republic's desire to help in the war on terrorism in any possible way." Bush also spoke the morning of October 1 to Maylasia's Prime Minister bin Mohamad Mahathir, Fleischer said. Bush "thanked the Prime Minister for his condolences on behalf of the people of Malaysia in the wake of the terrorist attack, and the President emphasized that the struggle is against evil and not Islam. The two leaders agree that the unprecedented nature of the terrorist threat requires new types of tactics and new forms of international cooperation, and they discussed the economic repercussions of the attack," said Fleischer. He added that they look forward to exchanging views in more depth at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shanghai. And Fleischer, in response to a question, responded that India's Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh was meeting at the White House with National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. In the early afternoon, Bush was to go across town to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to talk to employees there and to discuss actions in the war on terrorism, Fleischer said. On October 3, Bush will travel to New York City to visit a local elementary school and to talk to the children and to the teachers and also to discuss how to help New Yorkers and New York City rebound and recover from the attack. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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