Azerbaijan, Baku, May 21 / Trend , D. Khatinoglu/
Afghan presidential candidate, member of parliament and former planning minister Ramazan Bashardost spoke in an exclusive interview with Trend Persian Desk .
Trend : What is the major problem opposing Afghanistan at the moment? What is nation's key demand?
Ramazan Bashardost: The major problem is the government itself. Some persons are engaged in drug trafficking and corruption. The people see and feel how the government is cruel towards them. The current authorities do not think about national benefit. Nation's key demand is establishment of national government.
Q: Many experts argue that instability in the country is directly linked with poverty. What plans do you have in your platform to improve life conditions of population?
A: The media reports about poverty. In fact, The people live in poverty and need and they are on verge of catastrophe. There was shortage of bread in the northern region in winter and people had to sell their children to survive. The poverty and hunger killed over 750 people. I want to say that this country faces not poverty, but shortage.
Q: There was certain progress in the country. International community has provided billions of dollars in financial aid for Afghanistan since 2001. Did this aid have not any impact on country's development?
A: It's true, but the financial aid for the country was not spent in a reasonable way. Another obstacle to development is corruption in government. On the other hand, the fact is that the priorities for development from the beginning were wrong. In 2002, Japan hosted a conference to plan development of the country. They decided to transform Afghanistan into a transit corridor. Therefore, most of the financial assistance was spent on roads. In 2004, when I was minister of planning, I have reported to President Hamid Karzai that this plan is not needed at all.
Q: What did you offer?
A: think that investment in Afghanistan must be made in agricultural and industrial sectors. Unlike countries in the region, Afghanistan does not possess conditions to be a transit corridor. The country has 70 billion cubic meters of rivers and only ten percent of water used. In addition, more than 70 percent of the population engaged in agriculture. The country has 10 million hectares of land suitable for farming, but only 20 percent is used. As I said, international investing is not used in the right areas.
Q: What plans do you have to restore security in the country? How can Taliban be destroyed?
A: I have quite different views on Taliban rebels. I think they are fighting not against external forces. When they first carried out a rebellion against the government in 1994, there was neither U.S soldier nor external forces in the country. Then they rebelled against the authority, which was in the hands of the Communists and the Mujahedin. After a two-year uprising Taliban members came to power. After the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001 by the United States, most of the Mujahedin once again returned to power. Mujahedin are supporters of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and India and this poses danger for Pakistan. Therefore, Pakistan is constantly accused of helping Taliban because they are against the Mujahedin. I believe that improving relations with the Pakistani government and changing the foreign policy of severely will weaken Taliban members. In fact, they will no longer be under the patronage of Pakistan. We must prove to the neighboring countries that Afghanistan will not be a source of danger for any country.
Q: Do you believe coming presidential elections will be democratic?
A: I believe that, in comparison with previous years, the coming presidential elections will be democratic. If we take into account that the country is at war, the elections are valid. Candidates are approved and the campaign is going on smoothly. Previously the Electoral Commission was managed jointly by the UN and Afghanistan, but at present the Electoral Commission is independent and its chairman has proved its loyalty and devotion.
Q: Will foreign forces intervene with the elections?
A: The Obama Administration will not allow this. I have learned that former neo-conservative members of the administration in Congress tried to intervene in the presidential election in Afghanistan. And even former U.S. Ambassador to UN Khalilzad Zulmay (a native of Afghanistan) paid a visit to Afghanistan to run for president, but because of the lack of support from the new U.S. administration Khalilzad did not run for president. United States is once again trying to ensure that the elections in Afghanistan were fully democratic.
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