Interview: Abdullah Abdullah

Interview: Abdullah Abdullah
June 2003

Times of India

Q&A
As Afghanistan emerges from the shadow of Taliban rule, the Karzai government’s suave
foreign minister, Abdullah Abdullah, takes time out from his busy schedule to give his assessment of the situation.
In an exclusive interview, he tells Aunohita Mojumdar that it is time to hold another political conference that will reaffirm the international community’s commitment to Afghanistan:
Qs. What according to you are the most significant achievements of your government?
Ans. Afghanistan was a base for Al-Qaida to such an extent that even today when it is on the run, it has the capacity to carry out terrorist operations. After the assassination of Commander Masood, it hoped to gain ground beyond Afghanistan. But the country itself has been denied to it. This is the biggest achievement for the international community in Afghanistan. Sometimes we see the operations of Al-Qaida here and there this major
achievement gets downplayed but it shouldn’t.
Qs. Recent reports seem to indicate that parts of the country are slipping back under the control of...
Ans. No, they are not. There are terrorist activities and incidents in some parts of the
country which have to be dealt with and are a cause of concern for the people of Afghanistan and the international community but this does not mean Afghanistan is moving back
towards the old situation.

Qs.In which areas haven’t you made as much progress as you’d hoped?
Ans. I was only talking about the security situation. On reconstruction, a lot more needs to be done but there has been work done in different parts of the country and not just in Kabul. The fact that today many feel that Afghanistan is their home regardless of their political affiliation or ethnic background, which was not the case for the past 23 years, is our single biggest achievement.. There are areas where we could have done better, e.g.reforms in administration or the creation of national security institutions like the army and police force or
attracting foreign investment. The administration reach in different parts of the country
is getting better. The participation of governors in recent national security council meetings
is one example. Because of this, revenue will soon start flowing to the central government... But, remember, we are starting from scratch after 23 years of war.
Qs. You mentioned the increasing reach of the administration. But hasn’t that process been too slow?
Ans. I regard it a shortcoming that we have not moved quickly even though there is both popular demand and support for such a move...
Qs. Has the lack of assured continuous funding hampered your government, including in its efforts to assert its authority?
Ans. The lack of funds might have been one factor but the perception that the international
community didn’t honour the promises they have made to us is not right. The fact is that the problem is so huge that much more is needed before Afghanistan is able to stand on its own feet.
Qs. The donors seem to demand a degree of accountability from Afghanistan’s legitimate government that they themselves don’t practise. Is that fair?
Ans. These are bureaucratic processes which we have to accept but Afghanistan has, sometimes, been treated as a special case. I do think that Afghanistan needs a fresh
look. It is necessary to have another international political conference on Afghanistan to review the reconstruction - the result of one and a half years of effort - and to plan for the long-term future commitment of the international community... This shouldn’t be a technical assessment but one that concerns major principles and plans for the future. For example, the need assessment in the Tokyo conference was very primary. Now we know there are some assessments by the World Bank which suggest that Afghanistan needs some $15-20 billion over the next five to seven years. Afgha-nistan has the potential to stand on its own feet and be the bridge for the integration, stability and the prosperity of the region. Do you think the constitution that is being drafted will help ensure the rule of law? There have been reports of
some parts of the country reverting to Taliban-style practices. It will be very unfair to compare anything happening in Afghanistan today with what happened under Taliban, which was a brutal regime of terror and a dark period in our history and will be remembered for the brave resistance of our people... That period will never return. Of course, there are lots of areas which need improvement.
Qs. India is playing an active role in Afghanistan. Which area would you like the country to concentrate on?
Ans. India has been supportive of the Afghan government and the political process and has been an active partner in the country’s reconstruction. Lots of business and trade activities are going on...
Qs. But nothing passes through Pakistan...
Ans. Trade continues. There are certain areas in relations between India and Pakistan, in which Afghanistan hopes there will be improvement. Recently, there have been some positive developments, which are a source of hope for all of us. But otherwise India is playing a positive role.