H.E. Senior Minister Arsala visits Washington

 

 

January 17, 2011

H.E. Hedeyat Amin Arsala, Senior Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, joined world leaders at the Kennedy Center to attend a memorial service in honor of the late Richard C. Holbrooke, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, on January 14, 2011, in Washington DC.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and senior diplomats from various countries gathered to pay their respect to the services and memory of Ambassador Holbrooke. Mrs. Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy, accompanied the Senior Minister to the memorial service.

“Ambassador Holbrooke was an experienced and consummate diplomat. His sudden death is a major loss for the U.S. government and people,” said Senior Minister Arsala. The Minister added, “the creation of the position of Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan was a recognition by the U.S. government that Afghanistan’s problems are closely linked to the region, particularly to Pakistan.”

Moreover, H.E. Senior Minister Arsala concluded his visit with meeting the charged Affaires of Afghan embassy in Washington Ms. Khojesta Ebrahimkhel and other staff at the embassy as well as a number of media interviews with Voice of America, Pajwak News Agency and Arianna Television Network discussing the achievements of the last few years and further efforts required by the Afghans to secure long-term peace in Afghanistan, the need for the international community to approach the fight against terrorism in a regional context and to continue to support Afghanistan’s emerging democracy, help in economic and social development — all prerequisites for sustained stability.

Speaking to the media H.E. Senior Minister Arsala admitted that while challenges remain in Afghanistan, the advances over the last years have been significant despite difficulties; Afghan society is moving toward a democratic and pluralistic society. Our hope is that, in not to distant a future, Afghan people will enjoy peace; peace not only among themselves but also within the region as a whole.

H.E. Senior Minister Arsala thanked the American people and government of the United States for their continued assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted the strategic partnership with the United States of American which is a very important keystone for international peace that goes beyond the needs of the war against terror.

 

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