Mr. Secretary – General, Mr. President, Mr. Special-Representative, Ministers, dear Colleagues,
§The International Community has invested a lot in Afghanistan since 2001, when the country drew, under tragic circumstances, global attention.
§A lot has been done since then and considerable progress has been made. Eight years later, the problems pertaining to the situation in Afghanistan persist. It is evident that more needs to be done in a multifaceted way.
§The International Community has embarked on an unprecedented commitment to Afghanistan’s security, stabilization and development on a long-term basis.
§In other words, the political will is there, the effort is there, the money is there but the desired end-result is still elusive, proving that the enormity of the international involvement may not be, after all, enough.
§What we feel is still missing is the implementation of a truly concerted approach, a synergy of civil and military efforts, focused on a clear and realistic set of priorities that meets the needs of the Afghan people.
§This set of priorities should at the same time, fully take into account the diversities and complexities of the Afghan society.
§To this end, it is imperative that all International Actors cooperate seamlessly in Afghanistan.
Mr. Special-Representative,
§We fully support you in your challenging mission there, seeing you as the embodiment of the “comprehensive approach” notion.
§However important, the role of the International Community in Afghanistan is only part of the wider picture. Afghan ownership and commitment is key, especially in areas such as governance, security, rule of law, economic and social growth and development.
§We are looking forward to the successful completion of this year’s greatest challenge: the holding, on August 20, of free and fair presidential elections, in a secure environment. This will be a sign of political maturity and sound proof of the consolidation of democracy in Afghanistan.
§Engagement in Afghanistan remains high on the Greek OSCE Chairmanship agenda.
§The OSCE has already proven its commitment to the importance it attaches to the OSCE’s strengthened cooperation with Afghanistan, through the development and partial implementation of the 16 Projects package designed by the Organization’s Secretariat last year.
§Although there is a general consensus among participating States on the need to involve OSCE actively with Afghanistan, there are still certain differences on the scope and concrete forms of such involvement.
§In this vein, the Greek Chairmanship, in close cooperation with all participating States, will try to overcome these difficulties, in order to provide Afghanistan with the invaluable experience and expertise of the OSCE in fields such as, among others, Border Management, law enforcement capabilities, rule of law, human rights, customs and human trafficking.
§Our efforts depend on strong political and financial support from participating states.
§Along these lines, the OSCE stands ready, when a consensus is reached, to engage within Afghanistan, in coordination with other international actors.
§The elections taking place in Afghanistan on August 20th, are considered to be a turning point for the process of democratization of the country. At this point we are in the middle of consultations in Vienna, in order to adopt a Permanent Council Decision to send an Election Support Team to Afghanistan. It is my firm belief that the OSCE’s tremendous experience on the field of elections observation, will facilitate Afghanistan in a comprehensive and substantial way.
Mr. Special – Representative, Ministers, dear Colleagues
§We welcome the participation of distinguished colleagues from Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries in this Conference. Solutions and understandings can only be achieved and last if they are based on a process of inclusive dialogue. Security and stability in Afghanistan cannot be seen outside the context of the wider region.
§Greece supports international efforts in Afghanistan both bilaterally and through its participation in ISAF. Since 2001, we have channelled the amount of 60 million Euros to humanitarian, reconstruction and development endeavours in Afghanistan. In financially dire times, we remain committed to continuing our contribution.
Thank you.