Afghan National Assembly Begins

19 December 2005

Afghanistan Seats First Democratic Legislature in Three Decades, December 19, 2005

(Assembly represents final component of democratic government)

Four years after the collapse of the oppressive Taliban regime, 351 men and women representing all of Afghanistan’s provinces, tribes and ethnic groups took their seats as representatives in the country’s first democratically elected legislature in more than three decades, putting into place the final component of the country’s first entirely democratic government.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice congratulated the seating of the new assembly December 19 saying, “Afghanistan's legislators represent the Afghan people's aspirations to build a peaceful country with democratic institutions and an improving quality of life.”

The Afghan legislature includes a 249-seat lower house, the Wolesi Jirga, and a 102-seat upper house, the Meshrano Jirga.  Voters chose representatives for the lower house in September 18 elections.  At the same time, they elected representatives to 34 provincial councils, each of which appointed two delegates to the Meshrano Jirga.  President Hamid Karzai appointed the remaining 34 members of the upper house. (See Democratic Afghanistan.)

The seating of the National Assembly is the final step in a democratic transition process that began at a gathering of Afghan leaders in Bonn, Germany in December 2001.

“The adoption of a new constitution, last year's [October 2004] presidential election, and September's legislative vote were significant events in Afghanistan's road to democratic governance,” Rice said.

In addition to its legislative responsibilities, the new assembly will exercise approval and oversight functions over the government of Karzai, who was elected to a five-year term of office in October 2004.

U.S. Vice President Cheney attended the opening of the assembly in Kabul and signed a guest book writing, “It's a privilege to be present on this historic day for the people of Afghanistan.”

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer added his congratulations calling the opening of the new assembly “a decisive new phase in Afghanistan's political evolution.”

He said, “It is a visible sign that the democratic process is taking hold and comes on the heels of equally important milestones achieved since 2001, such as the drafting of a constitution and free elections.”

NATO currently is providing about 10,000 peacekeeping troops to Afghanistan through the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).  The troops come from 37 NATO and non-NATO countries.  (See related article.)

Afghanistan’s last democratically elected parliament was dissolved following a coup in 1973.  Subsequently, the country was subject to the Soviet invasion, more than two decades of civil war and the oppressive Taliban regime.

For additional information, see Rebuilding Afghanistan.

Following are the statements of Secretary Rice and NATO Secretary-General de Hoop Scheffer:
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
December 19, 2005

Statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

The Seating of the Afghan National Assembly

Today Afghans are inaugurating their first elected legislature since 1969. On this historic occasion, I congratulate the new National Assembly and wish them well as they assume the tremendous responsibility for Afghanistan's national welfare.

Over the past four years Afghans have worked hard to transform their country into a new democracy.  The adoption of a new constitution, last year's presidential election, and September's legislative vote were significant events in Afghanistan's road to democratic governance.

The extremist elements who threatened to disrupt Afghanistan's electoral process and democratic institutions have failed.  The seating of the National Assembly is the final step in the process begun four years ago with the assistance of the international community to create Afghanistan's democratic institutions.

Afghanistan's legislators represent the Afghan people's aspirations to build a peaceful country with democratic institutions and an improving quality of life.

The United States has made a long-term commitment to help Afghans build a free, secure and prosperous future.  We applaud the Afghan people and government on this momentous occasion.

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North Atlantic Treaty Organization
19 December 2005

STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON THE INAUGURATION OF THE AFGHAN PARLIAMENT

On behalf of NATO, I warmly congratulate the Afghan people on this important day, in which a democratically elected Afghan Parliament is sitting for the first time in more than thirty years. 

This opening session of the Wolesi (National Assembly) and the Meshrano Jirgas (Senate) is a decisive new phase in Afghanistan's political evolution.  It is a visible sign that the democratic process is taking hold and comes on the heels of equally important milestones achieved since 2001, such as the drafting of a Constitution and free elections. 

NATO remains firmly committed, as part of the broad international effort, to helping Afghanistan and its people meet their aspirations for peace, security and democracy.  The NATO-led mission, ISAF, will continue to play a key role in this regard as it expands in the months to come.

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