This is an honor I value much more than I can say. This is an honor that I really do not deserve. The United Nations perhaps deserves to be recognized as an organization that has been on the side of the people of Afghanistan for a long time and is the determined to remain on the side of the people of Afghanistan until all the problems of Afghanisan, inshallah, are resolved. I do not deserve this privilege but I will try to be worthy of it. I do realize that this does not represent only the recognition from the present leadership and the people of Afghanistan. I recognize that this passport does not only represent a recognition from the Administration, the government and the people of Afghanistan. It represents also for me a very very long history of a people that have shown throughout history dignity, courage and determination.

[From this point onwards President Karzai translates.]

It also represents sacrifices by people who fought to uphold that dignity of the people of Afghanistan.

[I will continue to translate. It is an honor, go ahead.]

But I have a problem your Excellency. I do not know it the United Nations allows nationals to be the representative of the Secretary-General. So, I run the risk of losing my job.

[In that case, be our guest.]

But as I want to keep my job, I hope the press will not tell anybody that I have this passport. But on the other hand as I am now an Afghan national, for the next Loya Jirga I am going to be a candidate to be a member of the Loya Jirga.

[Your Excellency, you will beat me.]

No, I think as I don’t belong to any ethnic group and to any wolaswali [district], I am going to be a candidate in every wolaswali. And I think that like that I am going to win somewhere.

[Sure you will win.]

Thank you very much your Excellency.

Kabul, 27 June 2002

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