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Afghanistan Statement, 2/16/89
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Afghanistan Statement, 2/16/89
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13476
Folder ID Number:
13476-004
Folder Title:
Afghanistan Statement, 2/16/89
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
25
6
1
3
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
2/15/89
Chriss -
We did cards on
this last night (last
minute request) -
Peggy
From no, who else? Jingare this to me
around 8:30.
John
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT, FEBRUARY 16, 1989
TODAY MARKS THE START OF A NEW CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY
OF AFGHANISTAN. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER NINE YEARS,
SOVIET FORCES NO LONGER OCCUPY THAT COUNTRY. THIS
DEVELOPMENT MARKS AN EXTRAORDINARY TRIUMPH OF SPIRIT AND
WILL BY THE AFGHAN PEOPLE, AND WE SALUTE THEM FOR IT.
MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE, HOWEVER. FOR THE AFGHAN
PEOPLE, THE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-DETERMINATION GOES ON. WE
SUPPORT AFGHAN EFFORTS TO FASHION A STABLE, BROADLY-BASED
GOVERNMENT RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE AFGHAN PEOPLE.
2
WE CALL UPON AFGHAN RESISTANCE LEADERS TO WORK TOGETHER
TOWARDS THIS END. As LONG AS THE RESISTANCE STRUGGLE FOR
SELF-DETERMINATION CONTINUES, so TOO WILL AMERICA'S
SUPPORT.
THROUGHOUT THE LONG DARK YEARS OF AFGHANISTAN'S
OCCUPATION, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS BEEN STEADFAST
IN ITS SUPPORT OF THE AFGHAN CAUSE. THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR
THE UNITED STATES.
3
U.S. SUPPORT FOR THE AFGHAN PEOPLE AND THE SUBSEQUENT
SOVIET MILITARY WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN CONSTITUTE A
POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE AMERICANS CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN
EXECUTIVE AND CONGRESS, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT, STAND
TOGETHER. THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN ALSO CAN
TAKE PARTICULAR SATISFACTION FROM THIS EVENT; THEIR
COURAGE AND SOLIDARITY CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE
AFGHAN STRUGGLE.
4
Now, MORE THAN EVER, THE AFGHAN PEOPLE DESERVE THE
CONTINUING HELP OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS THEY
BEGIN THE DIFFICULT PROCESS OF RECLAIMING THEIR COUNTRY,
RESETTLING THEIR PEOPLE, AND RESTORING THEIR LIVELIHOOD.
THE COMMITMENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE AFGHAN PEOPLE
WILL REMAIN FIRM -- BOTH THROUGH OUR BILATERAL
HUMANITARIAN AID PROGRAM AND THROUGH UNITED NATIONS
EFFORTS TO REMOVE MINES, RESETTLE REFUGEES, AND
RECONSTRUCT AFGHANISTAN'S WAR-TORN ECONOMY.
5
WE CALL UPON OTHER NATIONS TO CONTRIBUTE ALL THEY CAN AND
HOPE THAT THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE RESISTANCE CAN COME
TO MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NATIONWIDE
DISTRIBUTION OF NEEDED FOOD SUPPLIES.
THE SOVIET UNION HAS NOW FULFILLED ITS OBLIGATION TO
WITHDRAW FROM AFGHANISTAN. WE WELCOME THAT DECISION. WE
CALL UPON THE SOVIET UNION TO REFRAIN FROM OTHER FORMS OF
INTERFERENCE IN AFGHAN AFFAIRS. THE SOVIET UNION HAS
NOTHING TO FEAR FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT,
NON-ALIGNED AFGHANISTAN.
6
AT THE SAME TIME, THE USSR BEARS SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY
FOR HEALING THE WOUNDS OF THIS WAR, AND WE CALL UPON IT TO
SUPPORT GENEROUSLY INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO REBUILD
AFGHANISTAN.
###
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
February 15, 1989
MR. PRESIDENT:
Attached is the draft statement on
Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.
NSC has cleared the text, and it is
set for release tomorrow.
Could you please review and edit it
as you feel necessary?
Also, as I understand it, you may
consider going to the briefing
room to read all or part of this
statement. If so, please let me
know if you would like the entire
text, or any portion of it, on
cards.
Thank you.
James W. Cicconi
DRAFT
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 16, 1989
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Today marks the start of a new chapter in the history of
Afghanistan. For the first time in over nine years, Soviet
forces no longer occupy that country. This development marks an
extraordinary triumph of spirit and will by the Afghan people,
and we salute them for it.
Much remains to be done, however. For the Afghan people, the
struggle for self-determination goes on. We support Afghan
efforts to fashion a stable, broadly-based government responsive
to the needs of the Afghan people. We call upon Afghan
Resistance leaders to work together towards this end. As long as
the Resistance struggle for self-determination continues, so too
will America's support.
Throughout the long dark years of Afghanistan's occupation, the
international community has been steadfast in its support of the
Afghan cause. This is also true for the United States. U.S.
support for the Afghan people and the subsequent Soviet military
withdrawal from Afghanistan constitute a powerful example of what
we Americans can accomplish when executive and Congress,
Republican and Democrat, stand together. The government and
people of Pakistan also can take particular satisfaction from
this event; their courage and solidarity contributed
significantly to the Afghan struggle.
Now, more than ever, the Afghan people deserve the continuing
help of the international community as they begin the difficult
process of reclaiming their country, resettling their people, and
restoring their livelihood. The commitment of the United States
to the Afghan people will remain firm -- both through our
bilateral humanitarian aid program and through United Nations
efforts to remove mines, resettle refugees, and reconstruct
Afghanistan's war-torn economy. We call upon other nations to
contribute all they can and hope that the United Nations and the
Resistance can come to mutually acceptable arrangements for the
nationwide distribution of needed food supplies.
The Soviet Union has now fulfilled its obligation to withdraw
from Afghanistan. We welcome that decision. We call upon the
Soviet Union to refrain from other forms of interference in
Afghan affairs. The Soviet Union has nothing to fear from the
establishment of an independent, non-aligned Afghanistan. At the
same time, the USSR bears special responsibility for healing the
wounds of this war, and we call upon it to support generously
international efforts to rebuild Afghanistan.
# # #
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 16, 1989
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Today marks the start of a new chapter in the history of
Afghanistan. For the first time in over nine years, Soviet
forces no longer occupy that country. This development marks an
extraordinary triumph of spirit and will by the Afghan people,
and we salute them for it.
Much remains to be done, however. For the Afghan people, the
struggle for self-determination goes on. We support Afghan
efforts to fashion a stable, broadly-based government responsive
to the needs of the Afghan people. We call upon Afghan
Resistance leaders to work together towards this end. As long as
the Resistance struggle for self-determination continues, so too
will America's support.
Throughout the long dark years of Afghanistan's occupation, the
international community has been steadfast in its support of the
Afghan cause. This is also true for the United States. U.S.
support for the Afghan people and the subsequent Soviet military
withdrawal from Afghanistan constitute a powerful example of what
we Americans can accomplish when executive and Congress,
Republican and Democrat, stand together. The government and
people of Pakistan also can take particular satisfaction from
this event; their courage and solidarity contributed
significantly to the Afghan struggle.
Now, more than ever, the Afghan people deserve the continuing
help of the international community as they begin the difficult
process of reclaiming their country, resettling their people, and
restoring their livelihood. The commitment of the United States
to the Afghan people will remain firm -- both through our
bilateral humanitarian aid program and through United Nations
efforts to remove mines, resettle refugees, and reconstruct
Afghanistan's war-torn economy. We call upon other nations to
contribute all they can and hope that the United Nations and the
Resistance can come to mutually acceptable arrangements for the
nationwide distribution of needed food supplies.
The Soviet Union has now fulfilled its obligation to withdraw
from Afghanistan. We welcome that decision. We call upon the
Soviet Union to refrain from other forms of interference in
Afghan affairs. The Soviet Union has nothing to fear from the
establishment of an independent, non-aligned Afghanistan. At the
same time, the USSR bears special responsibility for healing the
wounds of this war, and we call upon it to support generously
international efforts to rebuild Afghanistan.
# # #
THE WHITE HOUSE
DRAFT
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 16, 1989
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Today marks the start of a new chapter in the history of
Afghanistan. For the first time in over nine years, Soviet
forces no longer occupy that country. This development marks an
extraordinary triumph of spirit and will by the Afghan people,
and we salute them for it.
Much remains to be done, however. For the Afghan people, the
struggle for self-determination goes on. We support Afghan
efforts to fashion a stable, broadly-based government responsive
to the needs of the Afghan people. We call upon Afghan
Resistance leaders to work together towards this end. As long as
the Resistance struggle for self-determination continues, so too
will America's support.
Throughout the long dark years of Afghanistan's occupation, the
international community has been steadfast in its support of the
Afghan cause. This is also true for the United States. U.S.
support for the Afghan people and the subsequent Soviet military
withdrawal from Afghanistan constitute a powerful example of what
we Americans can accomplish when executive and Congress,
Republican and Democrat, stand together. The government and
people of Pakistan also can take particular satisfaction from
this event; their courage and solidarity contributed
significantly to the Afghan struggle.
Now, more than ever, the Afghan people deserve the continuing
help of the international community as they begin the difficult
process of reclaiming their country, resettling their people, and
restoring their livelihood. The commitment of the United States
to the Afghan people will remain firm -- both through our
bilateral humanitarian aid program and through United Nations
efforts to remove mines, resettle refugees, and reconstruct
Afghanistan's war-torn economy. We call upon other nations to
contribute all they can and hope that the United Nations and the
Resistance can come to mutually acceptable arrangements for the
nationwide distribution of needed food supplies.
The Soviet Union has now fulfilled its obligation to withdraw
from Afghanistan. We welcome that decision. We call upon the
Soviet Union to refrain from other forms of interference in
Afghan affairs. The Soviet Union has nothing to fear from the
establishment of an independent, non-aligned Afghanistan. At the
same time, the USSR bears special responsibility for healing the
wounds of this war, and we call upon it to support generously
international efforts to rebuild Afghanistan.
# # #