NATO HQ, Brussels 13 March 2006

Tackling Afghanistan's security challenges Video interview with Afghan Minister of Defence, Abdul Rahim Wardak Multimedia Audio file .MP3/6186Kb Video Q: Mr. Abdul Rahim Wardak. Welcome, minister. ABDUL RAHIM WARDAK (Afghan Minister of Defence): Thank you. Q: Afghan has made considerable progress on the path to stability but significant challenges remain. What are your top three priorities as Defence Minister? WARDAK: I mean, as a Defence Minister, and in as far as the Afghan National Army is concerned, our top priority is reforming... reforming the Afghan Ministry of National Defence. Then, creating an Afghan national army, which is nationally oriented, democratically accountable, ethnically balanced, morally disciplined, professionally skilful and operationally cohesive. And the third priority will be: if I get good arms and equipment which can be interoperable with NATO forces for future joint operations and for future participation in peacekeeping operations, or participation... in operations for realization of our mutual and shared objectives. And if I tell you that at the moment, the ANA is, as far as weapons and equipments are concerned, it is much more weaker than the forces which I have personally commanded during the war against Soviet Union; at that time, I had better weapons, better communication, and plenty of ammunition. So, after almost 14-15 years... still the ANA has not... come to... to that level which I'm expecting. Of course, there is always a question of money, but we are ready to give our livs - and we think that if the Afghan National Army is enabled with all the shortcoming which it has today, like... I don't have the air support, not enough air mobility, not much of manoeuvrability, not proper fire support, and can only operate effectively together with international forces. But still, I... if we do have all those enablers, I believe that then, it would be much more economical for the international community because sustaining and equipping the Afghan National Army is far cheaper than the deployment of large formation of NATO or coalition forces in Afghanistan. Q: At present, what do you see as the main security threats to Afghanistan 's future? WARDAK: At the moment, the main security threat is... the terrorists which crossed our border... though they have suffered heavy casualties and they are trying to avoid encountering the Afghan National Army or international forces, but now I think they are concentrating on soft, innocent... targets. So that is at the moment, the main threat. But in the long term, I mean, the threats will be, like... the drugs, the weapons with the people, the organized crime and illegal armed groups - that is the long-term. Q: NATO is currently providing security assistance in about 50 percent of Afghanistan , in the North and the West, and is preparing to further expand its presence and its role; do you think the planned presence of NATO in the south will make a difference to the life of ordinary Afghans? WARDAK: Yeah. I think at the moment, you see, relatively north and west of the country is... safe, peaceful and relatively prosperous than the rest of the country which is east and south. So the deployment of NATO into the South will tremendously affect the security situation. And once the security situation is better, I think there will be more opportunities for reconstruction and development, which will directly affect the life of the normal Afghans who are living in that area. Q: Is there any other assistance you'd like to see from NATO... apart what it's doing at the moment? WARDAK: Yeah, we would... we would like NATO countries to contribute more in training and equipping the ANA, and building our training institutions, and especially supporting the... development of the Afghan air force because we are a mountains country; the roads are bad. If there is an emergency, it takes a long time to reach there. So, the only way is to have helicopters or fixed-wing... and that is something which we are far behind, there hasn't been any development or progress in this regards. So there are a variety of fields in which the NATO can help us. Q: We've recently seen violent demonstrations in Afghanistan, including one against NATO-led troops in Maimana, in the aftermath of the cartoon controversy. Do you think that the people of Afghanistan support NATO and the presence of NATO-led troops in Afghanistan ..? WARDAK: Actually, you see the Afghan people as a whole, they have welcome the coalition and NATO troops. Otherwise, that is a country which is really difficult to control or survive in it. ...And our history is a great witness to all that development. The Afghan, the normal Afghan see NATO and coalition troops as an instrumental stability and peace in our country, and they are welcome by the people as a whole. And I also have a definite information that what have happened in Maimana, it has nothing to do to be against NATO; it was the rivalry between two ex-warlords, which then the mob went out of control. But mainly, I think... if they were not welcome, I think the Operation Enduring Freedom from the beginning could not have gone so smoothly in such a short time. I mean, during the war against the Soviet Union , the Russians had more 120,000 troops, and the Afghan government had 500,000 troops, and... nothing - except a few cities - nothing was under control. So this concept that some people think, some pessimistic people think that the international and NATO troops are not welcome in Afghanistan , that is... entirely wrong. There is a friendship in between... in a lot of cases, you might have seen the pictures that people in communities, boys or... small boys and girls, they are welcoming these soldiers. Otherwise, if that was... if like some people are thinking that they might consider them occupational forces, in that case, I think NATO neither coalition will be there by now. Q: There's been some concern that as NATO expands its presence to the South, people may find it hard to distinguish between the NATO-led peacekeeping forces, and the US-led coalition forces, which continue to hunt the remnants of the Taliban. Do you think that ordinary Afghans will distinguish between the two mission...? WARDAK: I think there has been already enough publicity about this concept. And people are really well aware. In the old days, the Afghans were a little bit ignorant, but from the last twenty, thirty years, they're listening continuously to all the radios, the BBC, the Voice of America, Radio Liberty, and they are really well-informed. You will... you might see people which they are illeterate, but politically, they are so sophisticated that you will never believe it. So... I think there should not be that worry at all and in the meantime, I will... We can do altogether some more publicity in... information campaign to further facilitate this... distinction between the two forces. Q: Last question Minister for today: in recent months, we've seen an increasing number of attacks in southern Afghanistan . Are these a source of concern...? WARDAK: Actually, I... I think I have already told you that at the moment, that the... the attacks and also the incidents (inaudible)... that's one that... we are on the attack; we are seeking them so that there's more encounter, which will automatically raise the number of casualties. Secondly, I told you that they are avoiding to encounter the Afghan National Army or the coalition forces and they're working to these soft targets and using more IEDs and suicide-bombers. So... but... but I think there is not popular support for this movement in this country; there is no popular insurgency; there is no sanctuary for terrorists in Afghanistan , where they can train and operate and plan (inaudible)... And the public is actually turning against them; there has been demonstrations in different parts of Afghanistan against their atrocities and the action - which is not permitted by our religions, by any standard of human conduct. So I don't see much of potential for... that they will... they will be able to create a serious danger to the security, and stay (inaudible)... I think gradually, they are going to diminish. Q: Minister, thank you very much for taking time to speak to us for the NATO Website. Take care. WARDAK: Thank you very much for having this opportunity.