AFGHANISTAN: U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE USES ONE-DAY VISIT TO REINFORCE U.S. SUPPORT FOR THE WAR-TORN NATION

Record ID: 222955

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN: U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE USES ONE-DAY VISIT TO REINFORCE U.S. SUPPORT FOR THE WAR-TORN NATION
  • Date: 6th October 2003
  • Summary: (U4) KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN (OCTOBER 5, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV UNITED STATES DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE WALKS ACROSS TARMAC AT KANDAHAR AIRPORT 0.16 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICHARD ARMITAGE, UNITED STATES DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE SAYING "The United States government has just embarked on a major acceleration of support for the people of Afghanistan, an increase of our assistance by 1.2 billion dollars and this would be one of the main areas which receives assistance and I wanted to share views with the governor." 0.34 3. SV ARMITAGE WITH OFFICIALS INSIDE AIRPORT BUILDING 0.41 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARMITAGE SAYING "It is for the whole country. Governor Pashtun had made it very clear that he has 5 priorities for Kandahar, I think to a large extent we will be able to address most of those priorities, but the money is not exclusively for Kandahar. In fact this year alone, by the end of the year the United States will have invested 2 billion dollars into success in Afghanistan." 1.04 5. MV ARMITAGE SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS 1.11 (EU) KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (OCTOBER 5, 2003) (REUTERS) 6. MV ARMITAGE MEETING WITH AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI; SCU ARMITAGE TALKING; MV OFFICIALS LISTENING; SCU KARZAI TALKING; MV ARMITAGE AND KARZAI TALKING (5 SHOTS) 1.29 7. SLV EXTERIOR OF FOREIGN MINISTRY 1.33 8. MV ARMITAGE MEETING WITH AFGHAN FOREIGN MINISTER DR ABDULLAH ABDULLAH; MV MEDIA WAITING; MV ARMITAGE WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE 1.44 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARMITAGE SAYING: "I saw fantastic changes, just in that period of time and I think what you are witnessing is a Taliban who is frightened, that they see the writing on the wall. That's why they are attacking so viciously these great signs of progress for the people of Afghanistan and they are proving themselves I think to be an enemy of the people of Afghanistan in the minds of all." 2.13 10. MV ARMITAGE AND DR ABDULLAH STANDING 2.18 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARMITAGE SAYING: "I do note with great satisfaction the statements of President Musharraf reported in the Pakistani press this very morning, where he talked about the threat to Pakistan being extremists in their midst. And I also note with great approval the tremendous effort in the last couple of days of the Pakistani forces against Taliban and Al Qaeda which resulted in the deaths of some and the capture of others. And I just hope that is a trend that is going to continue." 2.49 12. SCU MEDIA FILMING; SLV ARMITAGE AND ABDULLAH AT PODIUM (2 SHOTS) 3.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st October 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KANDAHAR AND KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Reuters ID: LVA5G5S2JBEDJ3D5YMMSQQU2F049
  • Story Text: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is
    using a one-day visit to Afghanistan to reinforce U.S.

    support for the war-torn nation as it grapples with its
    worst violence in almost two years.

    U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage met
    Afghan officials on Sunday (October 5) to reinforce
    Washington's commitment to Afghanistan's peace process
    after its bloodiest period since the fall of the Taliban.

    Armitage began his one-day trip in Kandahar, a former
    Taliban stronghold, and capital of the restive southern
    province of the same name bordering Pakistan which has been
    a focus of stepped up guerrilla attacks by the Islamic
    militants.

    After holding talks with Kandahar governor Yusuf
    Pashtun, Armitage told reporters new U.S. aid pledged to
    Afghanistan would go towards reconstruction and that
    Pashtun had requested help to provide power, schools and
    roads.

    Armitage said the United States government had "just
    embarked on a major acceleration of support for the people
    of Afghanistan" and that it was increasing its assistance
    by 1.2 billion dollars. He said Kandahar "would be one of
    the main areas which receives assistance".

    With reference to five priorities which Armitage said
    that Governor Pashtun had outlined to him, the U.S. deputy
    secretary of state said: "I think to a large extent we will
    be able to address most of those priorities. However
    Armitage stressed that "the money is not exclusively for
    Kandahar". He pointed out that "this year alone, by the end
    of the year the United States will have invested 2 billion
    dollars into success for Afghanistan."
    Armitage later met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai
    and Foreign Minister Dr Abdullah Abdullah in Kabul.

    Following the meetings, Armitage told reporters he had
    witnessed "fantastic changes" since his last visit to the
    country in May.

    Asked about a recent upsurge in militant and factional
    violence which has seen more than 300 people, including aid
    workers, U.S. soldiers and many Taliban guerrillas killed
    since the start of August, he told a news conference:
    "I think what you are witnessing is a Taliban that is
    frightened, they see the writing on the wall, that's why
    they area attacking so viciously these great signs of
    progress for the people of Afghanistan."
    Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Abdullah said Afghanistan
    still had problems with security, but the incidents that
    had occurred often presented a false picture of the overall
    situation.

    He said there had been great improvements since two
    years ago, when Afghanistan was the centre of global
    destabilisation and a home to al Qaeda, the organisation
    blamed for the September 11 attacks on the United States in
    2001.

    The spate of violence has come as the United States
    struggles with resistance in Iraq and after a two-year
    U.S.-led military campaign that began on October 7, 2001
    has failed to net either al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden or
    Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

    Armitage said he had come to emphasise that the United
    States and its forces would remain involved in Afghanistan
    as long as Afghans wanted.

    He said he also explained progress in securing
    additional aid and predicted Congress would approve an
    extra $1.2 billion to bring U.S. commitments for the
    calendar year to $2 billion.

    Abdullah said improving security was a process that
    required the building up and training a still small
    national army and a new police force and would require a
    lot more effort.

    U.S. and Afghan officials say militants have launched
    attacks in Afghanistan from Pakistan's tribal areas and
    Armitage said last Tuesday that some in Pakistan's security
    community were less than enthusiastic about helping the
    U.S.-led "war on terror".

    Pakistan forces killed eight suspected al Qaeda
    fighters and arrested 18 others in the operation in a
    semi-autonomous tribal region on Thursday and said this was
    proof of its commitment.

    Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Omar Samad said Kabul
    was pleased by this, but Pakistan could still do "much
    more".

    Armitage, who is to have talks with President Pervez
    Musharraf of neighbouring Pakistan on Monday (October 6),
    praised Pakistan for its recent attack on Taliban forces
    working on the border with Afghanistan.

    "I do note with great satisfaction the statements of
    President Musharraf reported in the Pakistani press this
    very morning, where he talked about the threat to Pakistan
    being extremists in their midst. And I also note with great
    approval the tremendous effort in the last couple of days
    of the Pakistani forces against Taliban and Al Qaeda which
    resulted in the deaths of some and the capture of others.

    And I just hope that is a trend that is going to continue,"
    he said.

    The U.S. embassy said Armitage aimed to reinforce the
    U.S. commitment to a secure Afghanistan and support for
    full implementation of the Bonn Agreement which mapped out
    the country's political future after the overthrow of the
    Taliban.

    It said this included plans to hold a Loya Jirga, or
    "grand assembly", in December to approve a new
    constitution, elections next year, and accelerated efforts
    by the United States and the international community to
    assist post-war reconstruction.

    The spate of violence comes as the United States
    struggles with resistance in Iraq, and after a two-year
    U.S.-led military campaign that began on October 7, 2001
    has failed to net either al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden or
    Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

    The United Nations and the Afghan government have
    called repeatedly for an expansion of a NATO-led
    multinational peacekeeping force from Kabul to Afghan
    restive provinces, and the issue is currently under debate
    in Brussels.

    The United States has said it supports an expanded NATO
    role.

    Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Omar Samad told
    Reuters Kabul was pleased by a border operation that
    Pakistan launched on Thursday in which its forces killed
    eight suspected al Qaeda fighters and arrested 18 others
    near the border.

    But he reiterated Afghanistan's view that Pakistan
    could do "much more" in the battle against Taliban, al
    Qaeda and allied militants.

    Pakistan says it is doing all it can, citing the
    arrests of some 500 al Qaeda and Taliban suspects since the
    U.S.-led war on terror was launched after the September 11,
    2001 attacks.


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