UNAMA - Statements Attributable to Spokesman

The past 23 years have taken a terrible toll on the Afghan people. The assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud was one of the last dramatic illustrations of the price paid by generation after generation of Afghans who were engulfed in the war. His loss is felt even more as he would certainly have been playing a very significant role in the current peace process if he were among us today.

To all those who visited him, Commander Massoud spoke of the lessons learned from the years of war following the Soviet departure from the country. One of these was that the international community should have stayed and assisted Afghanistan after the country recovered its sovereignty. Another lesson was that Afghans who so ably fought together against foreign invasion should also have been able to govern together.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of Commander Massoud’s death, the United Nations trusts that the people of Afghanistan and the international community will reflect on these lessons; and re-commit themselves, in spite of setbacks and difficulties, to the long and arduous task of bringing about the physical and political reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Kabul, 8 September 2002

_______________




:: home press briefings press releases press conferences statements - spokesperson - SRSG/DSRSG - others publications photo gallery contacts UN news centre press briefing search UN Secretary- General & Afghanistan webcasts videos		Statements Attributable to the Spokesperson	2002 \| 2003 \| 2004 \| 2005 \| 2006 \| 2007 \|Current

		Statement Attributable to the Spokesman of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan
		The past 23 years have taken a terrible toll on the Afghan people. The assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud was one of the last dramatic illustrations of the price paid by generation after generation of Afghans who were engulfed in the war. His loss is felt even more as he would certainly have been playing a very significant role in the current peace process if he were among us today. To all those who visited him, Commander Massoud spoke of the lessons learned from the years of war following the Soviet departure from the country. One of these was that the international community should have stayed and assisted Afghanistan after the country recovered its sovereignty. Another lesson was that Afghans who so ably fought together against foreign invasion should also have been able to govern together. On the occasion of the first anniversary of Commander Massoud’s death, the United Nations trusts that the people of Afghanistan and the international community will reflect on these lessons; and re-commit themselves, in spite of setbacks and difficulties, to the long and arduous task of bringing about the physical and political reconstruction of Afghanistan. Kabul, 8 September 2002 _______________


	Home \| About UNAMA \| Documents \| News \| Links \| Contacts
Copyright © United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)