Traditional Loya Jirga to discuss matters of national interests

Discussion on Afghan-US Strategic Agreement is a great national and sentiment matter.

This was stated by Deputy General President of Affairs Administration and CM Secretariat and Traditional Loya Jirga Technical and Political Deputy Ustad Najib Amin to a BIA reporter.

Ustad Amin added that the purpose behind signing of strategic agreement is this that as a strong and an independent nation, Afghanistan is willing to discuss about strategic agreement with its one of international colleagues.

This discussion would lay emphasize on four matters:

1. The national security forces be trained as much as to be able to defend independently from their country and be capable to fight terrorism.

2. Afghanistan should be strengthened from economic point of view and be changed as a trade center in the region.

The economic facilities which were available previously and were annihilated as a result of civil wars, they should be rehabilitated such as Silk Route etc. direct foreign investment be taken place and the people’s life get improved.

3. This agreement is include of efforts for strengthening of government institutions and making of non political independent and expertized civil services administration.

With contribution of President Karzai, independent administrative reform had efforts within previous 10 years so to have a strong and un-political administration, so to be able to promote and facilitate the governing services in a good and qualified manner allover Afghanistan and investment be taken place on security institutions such as national army and police and civil services.

Najib Amin added that another matter is expansion of regional economic projects and improvement of regional relations.

Afghanistan should have good and peaceful ties with its neighbors. The agreement not only create hurdle for the region but it would make efforts to improve ties among regional countries.

He added that in principle, as of 2008 to date, the strategic agreement is began between Afghanistan and the USA.

We signed a declaration of strategic cooperation with the USA at the beginning of 2008 and a military, technical agreement was signed by the then government before 1st Bonn Conference with the USA. This was a base for coming and presence of international military forces in Afghanistan.

Coming of international forces created worry. How we can prevent from stubbornnesses and filling of jails of the US by people in various provinces, civil casualties and dandestine operations of international forces. Which mechanism be used so they act as be more committed.

So, two teams have been appointed so to work on a draft of strategic cooperation agreement.

Few drafts have been exchanged between themselves that the Afghan team is heading by presidential advisor Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta a prominent, patriotic and acknowledgeable personality.

Amin said that as establishment of interim or permanent military base of the US is discussing, this demand doesn’t take place by the US. But, naturally, this would be discussed in the framework of national interests of Afghanistan that how the military forces of the USA can benefit from the military facilities in Afghanistan.

For example using of airports and other military establishments of Afghanistan by the US military forces. The strategic agreement turned it as a legal and obligatory and reciprocally we should respond to our people. And those who benefit from it, they also be committed before law and procedures of what they signed.

Najib Amin asserted that the agreement of strategic cooperation is an agreement which has several dimensions, that during the signing of this agreement the Afghan government is focusing its attention towards public opinion.

Having strategic agreement with a foreign nation is a matter of sentiment. So it is necessary that the people be aware about the depth of matter and knows that signing of this agreement is how much in the interest of Afghanistan. They should know that with signing of this agreement, Afghanistan would not be sold to others. Afghans have a bright history of struggle and jehad against aliens and this idea is alive in warp and woof of Afghans. Afghanistan never be sold nor be dealt. The fundamental principle of Afghan culture and national interests of Afghanistan are considered. It is impossible to deal a little on our national interests.

As an independent country, Afghanistan enters into an agreement. All national signed thousands and hundreds such treaties with other countries.

A main problem before signing of this agreement is our neighbors. He added that this accord would be signed with the agreement of the president and people of Afghanistan.

This is not a permanent agreement and would continue for 10 or 20 years according to Afghans themselves. So it is a provisional one. Because our neighbors such as Pakistan, Iran, China and India would be for good around us and Afghanistan never forget its neighbors. So Afghanistan considers the interests of its neighbors as well.

The neighbors would show serious or superficial reactions against Afghanistan and Afghanistan makes decision about its destiny along preservation of its national values as an independent government and protection of mutual respect and co-existence with its neighbors.

Another matter is this that both sides consider their own interests in this agreement.

Some matters would be set forth by the US and some other by Afghan side.

It is natural that Afghanistan always makes effort that the agreement be signed in a manner that the national interests of the people of Afghanistan be considered in it. Naturally, the opposed side would resist. The Afghan side endeavors that these resistances be slowly solved and in fact the agreement be ended in the interest of Afghan people and finally people to make decision in the connection in traditional Loya Jirga.

In connection with the impact of this agreement on national assembly he said that this is a great legal debate from technical point of view. The constitution of our country permitted the president of Afghanistan so to consult with the nation about national issues

16 categories are existed in formation of Loya Jirga. As a whole 2030 people’s representatives that from among them its 519 people are invited from every district and city precincts. These representatives make a great number of people’s representatives.

In fact, the picture of all categories and strata of the society is drawn in it.

As the matter of national assembly is considered. The national assembly it self is one of the categories that should be attended in the jirgah.  

But, the authority of national assembly doesn’t negate. This means that signing and ratification of agreement is completely two separate processes. The state makes decision regarding the strategic agreement and government signs it. After signing of agreement the constitution predicted some process about it. Some of these processes are belong to the national assembly. It is natural that for evaluation and processing, this agreement would refer to the national assembly, so this process is not separate from each other and never be merged with each other. All authorities of national assembly are on its own place. All competences that are given by constitutions to national assembly members are not negated by Loya Jirgah. But vice versa, traditional Loya Jirga is the complementor of the decision of government and national assembly.

In regard with challenges faced by Traditional Loya Jirgah Najib Amin said that one of the great problems is unawaring of people from this process. Our people are clean-hearted. Sometime they deceive by negative commentators of enemies. We ask the civil society, benign Ulema and influential figures to help people in this connection. In such a manner, we are in need of cooperation of press, so to work for enlightenment of people and future of our country.

Another matter is representation of people in this jirga. This is our very important matter. The candidates who come from provinces should be the real representatives of people. Lead by a spiritual personality Prof. Hazrat Sebghatullah Mujadedi, the commission of preparedness for holding of Traditional Loya Jirgah with a national commitment and continued efforts works on this matter and with the grace of Almighty Allah had good achievement so far.

Professor Najibullah Amin

The Kabul Times