Powell Reopens U.S. Embassy in Kabul

(Thanks Afghan staff for protecting the facility) (1140)

Colin Powell on January 17 became the first U.S. Secretary of State to
visit Afghanistan in 25 years. He told Afghan and American staff
members at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, "we are back in business. We are
here to stay. We are committed to the future of this country."

Powell officially opened the U.S. Embassy and thanked the Afghan
employees who had loyally protected and maintained the facility
between 1989 and 2001, when there was no official American presence in
Kabul.

"[I]t is an honor for me to be here, not just to open the Embassy once
again and to see our flag flying proudly, but also to pause and thank
the Afghan employees of the United States who have kept this facility
intact, kept our vehicles intact. We have never lost faith that we
would be back," said Powell.

Powell presented a special Afghanistan Service Recognition Award to
the Afghan employees "as an expression of appreciation of the
Department of State and the American people."

"We are so proud of all our Foreign Service Nationals who are here
today ... and I thank you for your commitment to your country and to
America over these intervening years that we have not been able to be
here. We are back and we treasure your service and your sacrifice, and
we look forward to your loyalty in the future as well," said Powell.

Following is a transcript of Secretary Powell's remarks at the
American Embassy in Kabul:

(begin transcript)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman (Kabul, Afghanistan)
For Immediate Release

January 17, 2002

Remarks by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell at American Embassy in
Kabul

January 17, 2002 Kabul, Afghanistan

AMBASSADOR CROCKER: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to
you, Mr. Secretary. This is an historic moment in US-Afghan relations
and for the American presence in Afghanistan. It has been more than a
quarter of a century since the Secretary of State has stood on these
steps, and for half that time this Embassy has been closed.

Well, we're back in business and we're going to stay that way. We have
a very long and challenging road ahead of us in the campaign against
terror. It won't be easy, nor will it be easy to help build the
strong, secure and stable Afghanistan that is the goal of all of us.

And I am very happy to be able to tell you, Mr. Secretary, that as we
set out on this effort that the men and women of this mission are
extremely proud to be your forward element.

Thank you.

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, thank you very much, Ambassador Crocker, and
to you, Ambassador Khalizad and all of the members of the mission. I
want to offer my congratulations and deepest appreciation for the
superb work that you have been doing under the most difficult of
circumstances.

I am pleased to be the first US Secretary of State to have been here
in some 25 years, particularly on this occasion when we have just
received permission from President Bush to redesignate this facility
from the United States Liaison Office to American Embassy Kabul. So,
as the Ambassador said, we are back in business. We are here to stay.
We are committed to the future of this country.

We have seen a lot in the last several months as we threw off the yoke
of the Taliban regime, as we have gone after the al-Qaida. That job is
not yet finished and we will stay with it until it is finished. But we
are already looking to the future. We are looking to a future of hope
for the Afghan people. We are looking at the possibilities that are
ahead for the people of Afghanistan. We are looking to develop a
stable country that lives in peace with all of its neighbors.
President Bush and the American people are committed to providing the
humanitarian relief that is necessary. We are committed to
reconstruction.

I will be leaving here to go to India, and then from India on to
Tokyo, where I will participate in a donors' conference. The
international community coming together in Tokyo in order to make
pledges to Afghanistan, but more importantly, to the people of
Afghanistan that the international community is with you now and in
the future.

And so it is an honor for me to be here, not just to open the Embassy
once again and to see our flag flying proudly, but also to pause and
thank the Afghan employees of the United States who have kept this
facility intact, kept our vehicles intact. We have never lost faith
that we would be back.

We are so proud of all our Foreign Service Nationals who are here
today and the beautiful children who have also come out to share this
occasion, and I thank you for your commitment to your country and to
America over these intervening years that we have not been able to be
here. We are back and we treasure your service and your sacrifice, and
we look forward to your loyalty in the future as well.

Ambassador Crocker, I thank you for your service; Ambassador Khalizad
for the work that you are doing here. And for all of you I bring you
thanks from the American people, and especially from President Bush.
Thank you.

I have a special recognition award I would like to now make: For
unparalleled dedication and loyalty to the people of the United States
of America during the most difficult circumstances from January 31st,
1989, through December 17th, 2001, this Special Afghanistan Service
Recognition Award is presented to the employees of the American
Embassy in Kabul as an expression of the appreciation of the
Department of State and the American people. During this period, the
Afghan employees of the American Embassy continued to protect and
maintain United States Government property in Kabul with no American
presence, culminating in a massive and successful effort in December
2001 to prepare the chancery to reopen in time for the installation of
the Afghan interim authority.

So I am very pleased to present this to you, and to you, sir, and
through you, to all of the other employees. And thanks for your
service. (Presentation of Award.) (Applause.)

SECRETARY POWELL: And this is a special pleasure. It is a replacement
certificate, and I will read it. It is to Mr. Nawab Ali and it is a
1996 Award, a 1996 Foreign Service National of the Year Award. He
received this.

He is very proud of it. It was destroyed by the Taliban, and it is now
my pleasure to give him a replacement with our heartfelt thanks.
(Presentation of Award.) (Applause.)

(end transcript)

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Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)