I am really honoured to participate in this formal inauguration of this very important commission. I would like to first congratulate Professor Bahauddin Baha and the other eight men and two women who have accepted this responsibility of leading the work of the reform of the judicial system in Afghanistan.

Together, all eleven of them will bring to this commission, a formidable sum of talent, learning, wisdom and I think dedication to the job they are going to do. They are one of the very important commissions that were set up on the basis of the Bonn Agreement.

Peace cannot really take root in Afghanistan, or in any other country, without justice. Helping the country establish the rule of law is really the most important task that is facing the people of Afghanistan and their leadership for the moment and for the years to come.

(inaudible)…is a very rich culture, past traditions that will certainly, if understood properly, if implemented properly, help the people of Afghanistan establish the rule of law in the future. His Excellency, Minister Karimi, has spoken very eloquently about the necessity for Afghanistan, of bringing together, of harmonizing together, this rich heritage, historical, religious, cultural with also the commitments of Afghanistan internationally,

(inaudible)…because Afghanistan is party to many conventions and international agreements that relate to justice and the rule of law and I think he has spoken very eloquently about the necessity and the possibility of reforming the system in Afghanistan to provide the needs for the people of Afghanistan, who wants both to be faithful to their culture and also live in the modern world.

This commission has a very important role to play and a lot of hard work is awaiting them. They can count on the cooperation of the Supreme Court, and of course, the Minister has said it now, on the cooperation of the Ministry of Justice. I am sure they can count also on the cooperation of the afghan universities and the legal minds that live up and down the country in Afghanistan, in all the cities in Afghanistan you have legal minds, trained judges, lawyers who I am sure will want to cooperate with this commission to make this reform a great success.

I am sure that I speak not only on behalf on the United Nations, and in particular UNAMA here in Kabul, but also on behalf of the whole international community, in telling the Commission, telling the Minister, that we all, partners of the international community are ready to help in every way we can the process of reform that is going to be led by this commission.

We are grateful to Italy for accepting to be the lead nation in providing the support of the international community. We are also grateful also to all the members of the European Union, the United States, Japan, the neighbours of Afghanistan, whoare also taking a keen interest in the work of the commission and have their readiness to support the work of the commission. We all understand in the international community, that we have to come to you, the Commission and the Government of Afghanistan together and that our support and our offers of support must be coordinated and be helpful to you, and for that support to be helpful it has to be coordinated and we will certainly do our best in the United Nations together with Italy and everybody else to ensure that this help is rational, coordinated and effective.

Thank you very much.