12 December 2003
U.S. Congratulates Afghanistan on Eve of Constitutional Convention
Statement by State Dept Spokesman Richard Boucher
State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher December 12 congratulated Afghanistan on the convening of its first constitutional convention, or Loya Jirga, which opens December 14.
Boucher said Afghanistan has accomplished much during the past two years since the establishment of its Transitional Government, thanks to the leadership of President Karzai and the resilience of the Afghan people. The spokesman said the United States will remain steadfast in its support of the new Afghanistan.
Following is the text of Boucher's statement:
(begin text)
Press Statement by Richard Boucher
Spokesman, U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
December 12, 2003
United States Congratulates Afghanistan on Eve of Constitutional Convention
The United States welcomes the convening of Afghanistan's historic first Constitutional Convention, or Loya Jirga, which will begin on December 14.
We are pleased to see that five hundred delegates representing a cross-section of Afghan society will join this debate to chart the future political course of Afghanistan. While challenges remain, Afghanistan is passing a major milestone in its transition to a constitutional, representative government that respects its traditions and protects the welfare of its citizens.
In keeping with the spirit of democracy, we expect to see a vigorous debate among the Loya Jirga delegates over the Constitution, as they take up questions of faith and human rights, the structure of government, and the balance between central authority and local control.
Afghanistan has made remarkable strides in the two years since the Transitional Government was established. The credit goes to the strong leadership of President Karzai and his team, and the resilience of the Afghan people, as aided by the United States and the international community.
There is much to build on, but there is much that remains to be done. For that reason the United States has approved an additional $1.7 billion in assistance to the Afghan people. As President Bush has made clear, the United States will remain steadfast in its support for the new Afghanistan.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=December&x=20031212162714atarukp0.7830774&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html
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