Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-02-Speech-2-139"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20011002.6.2-139"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Madam President, Afghanistan must be the ultimate example of a tragic and failed State and yet, in spite of this, the will exists for it to remain a unitary State across the ethnic divide. It has now suffered 28 years of communist dictatorship, followed by fanatic Islamic theocracy, turning it into a pariah State as the Taliban harbours terrorists and executes thousands. There are over 2 million refugees outside the country and some 5 million internally displaced persons, many of whom may flee if hostilities break out between the US and its allies and Afghanistan itself. The World Food Programme is hampered by difficult terrain, destroyed infrastructure and Taliban policies which prevent female participation, and which have led to the arbitrary arrest of aid workers on charges of religious proselytising and a ban on communications with the outside world, so essential to an international aid programme. In spite of this, some 218 tonnes of food got through to Kabul last week to avert a crisis. It is clear that the West must now think of what can be done post-Taliban to bring permanent stability to the country.
Last week, with two of my fellow MEPs, I was privileged to meet in Rome, the former King of Afghanistan, who has lived in the European Union for much of his life. We were the first Western elected politicians to visit the royal household since the crisis. He demonstrated a supreme sense of patriotism and duty to his estranged country, and went as far as to say that he would serve Afghanistan in any capacity his people chose through their assembled tribal council, or Loya Jirga, which he has been working on for the last two years. He confirmed that he has now received key support from the opposition United Front/Northern Alliance forces and will facilitate an internal settlement appropriate to his country. He is the only acceptable Afghan figure who can unite all the warring factions and demonstrated the ability, when he ruled his country between 1933 and 1973, to rule constitutionally with tolerance and moderation, even using the English model of sport as a way to unite the disparate ethnic groups.
It was clear to me that Zahir Shah, in spite of his advanced age, was both cogent and fit enough to do the job, after conducting a lengthy one-and-a-half-hour interview with myself and my colleagues. He has also wisely distanced himself from the restoration of the monarchy as an issue, leaving this to his people to decide. I urge this House to support the King's mission in this tricky area."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs |
substitute; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples