17 April 2002
Taliban, Al Qaeda Remnants Will Not Destabilize Afghanistan
(U.S. ambassador urges Afghans to be patient as aid is delivered)
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By Sally Hodgson
Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Kabul
Kabul -- U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Robert P. Finn, in his first
press conference with the Afghan media, said he believes remnants of
the al Qaeda and Taliban will continue to try to create instability in
the cities as they have done in some parts of the countryside but he
does not believe they will be successful.
"I have spoken to many people in many different places and answer is
the same everywhere I go," Ambassador Finn told the journalists April
15.
"[The Taliban and al Qaeda] sought to impose their own very extreme
version of Islam on Afghanistan and took a nation hostage, and in
addition they succeeded in destroying the social structure of the
country -- they destroyed the schools, the hospitals, universities, so
I don't think they will find much resonance with the people of
Afghanistan," he said.
Finn said that the most important task before the coalition forces in
Afghanistan is to prevent al Qaeda and Taliban remnants from
destabilizing the country.
"The international coalition has not come to rule in Afghanistan but
to help the Afghan people get rid of al Qaeda and the Taliban," said
the ambassador. "That's why we're cooperating with the Interim
Adminstration and the Loya Jirga [Grand Council] process so that you
have a true interim government that will prepare the way for elections
and you can run your own country."
An emergency Loya Jirga is scheduled to convene in June to name a
temporary government to rule for two years. At the end of the
temporary government's term, national elections will be held to form a
permanent government.
The ambassador reiterated that the international community is
delivering on its promises of assistance to the Afghan people. He
urged Afghans to be patient and to understand that there is always a
period between the time when assistance is promised and delivered.
Finn said that even though hundreds of millions of dollars have
already been spent, the needs in Afghanistan are so great that to
some, that it may seem that not much is being done.
"I've had the unfortunate experience of being in situations like this
before, and I can assure you that things are moving very quickly in
Afghanistan," the ambassador said. "I took a trip to the Shomali
plains last week, and everywhere I went I could see the people were
back, they were trying to move into their homes, they were trying to
restart their farms, and that's just one example."
"As you know, I don't have to tell you, there's a spirit of hope
everywhere in the country. Everywhere I've been, the people are
beginning to paint their houses, to repair their stores, so there's a
real optimistic spirit in the country," said Finn.
(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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