For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 12, 2002
Joint Statement on Road Construction in Afghanistan by the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Japan, and the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia
Since the horrific events of September 11, 2001, the Governments of
the United States, Japan, and Saudi Arabia have worked together both on
ridding the world of the scourge of terrorism and, following the
success of Operation Enduring Freedom, supporting Afghanistan's
Transitional Administration, led by President Hamid Karzai. With
Japan, our joint work on this endeavor grows from the close bilateral
relationship that has long existed between our peoples and our
governments as reflected in the U.S.-Japan Partnership for Security and
Prosperity, based on our shared values, mutual trust and friendship,
reaffirmed at Camp David in June 2001. Similarly, the United States
and Saudi Arabia have built a strong bilateral relationship over the
past 60 years based on mutual trust and respect and a common vision of
a just, peaceful, and prosperous world.
In November 2001, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Japan
foresaw the need for the community of nations effectively to plan how
to provide humanitarian relief and reconstruction for Afghanistan as
the Taliban fell from power. This culminated in the Tokyo Pledging
Conference in January 2002, which yielded 4.5 billion dollars in
pledges to finance Afghanistan's humanitarian and reconstruction needs
over the next five years.
Our governments have acted as leaders in the international
community to address the humanitarian needs of Afghanistan, including
repatriation and resettlement of refugees and the internally
displaced.
While these challenges continue, it is now time for the
international community to take strong, visible steps to begin
Afghanistan's physical reconstruction. Traditionally, Afghanistan's
key unifying transportation artery has been the road connecting Kabul
in the east to Herat in the west. This is the key link in
Afghanistan's "ring road" which also connects its northern provinces
with the capital.
To launch the reconstruction of this key transportation network,
which now lies in ruins, the United States, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are
committing today to reconstruct the road from Kabul, through Kandahar,
to Herat to international standards. We invite others to join us in
this project. But to make clear our determination, the United States
is today committing eighty million dollars toward this project, Japan
is committing fifty million dollars focusing its effort on the road
from Kabul to Kandahar, and Saudi Arabia is also committing fifty
million dollars. Taken together, this initial funding alone should
complete the bulk of this roadway.
Because it is essential for Afghanistan's people to see the fruits
of their government's work and the commitment of Saudi Arabia, Japan
and the United States made real, we intend to begin initial
construction before winter sets in and will make every effort to
complete the entire highway--from Kabul to Kandahar to Herat--within
thirty-six months.
We intend to use this project to foster opportunity for economic
growth and prosperity in Afghanistan. It is our belief that this road,
along with others that will connect Afghanistan to its neighbors north
and south, can set the stage for a complete transportation system, the
lowering of tariff and other barriers to trade, and the establishment
of links through Afghanistan from the Indian Ocean to Central Asia and
from the Caspian Basin to the Far East. With this vision in mind, we
look forward to the day that Afghanistan regains its place along the
"Silk Road" connecting East and West in a highway of mutual
understanding, commerce, and peace.
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