(Initial program will train schoolteachers, English instructors and public servants) (2440) Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage announced May 1 the reestablishment of the Fulbright Program with Afghanistan after nearly 24 years of being dormant. The announcement came in a ceremony hosted by Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Patricia S. Harrison at the U.S. Department of State. Afghan Ambassador to the United States Ishaq Shahryar participated in the ceremony, and other diplomats from the region attended. The reactivation of the prestigious program signifies the U.S. commitment to rebuilding the once vibrant bilateral relations in education and culture, and acknowledges Afghanistan's resurgence as a full partner in significant academic exchange. Prior to its suspension in 1979 after the Soviet invasion, the Afghanistan-United States Fulbright Program had a rich history of promoting mutual respect and understanding through educational and cultural exchange. Beginning in 1952, Americans contributed to Afghanistan's educational and legal systems through educational activities conducted in the United States. Beginning with its bilateral establishment in 1963, the United States Educational Commission in Afghanistan sponsored until 1979 over 250 Afghan students and scholars, and over 75 American students and scholars in fields such as architecture, law and economics. The State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with the Bureau of South Asian Affairs' Office of Public Diplomacy and the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section in Kabul, has now constructed a one-year, non-degree Fulbright educational program in the United States for young Afghan men and women graduating as university seniors, as well as for academically qualified women who were deprived of formal study during the Taliban era. Under the new program, in September 2003, a minimum of 20 Afghan students will attend pre-academic training in the United States to become familiar with U.S. culture and academic principles, and to enhance their English language skills, before enrolling at selected U.S. colleges and universities. Among the priority first-year program themes will be primary and secondary school teaching, English language teaching, Study of the United States, public administration and public policy, journalism and media, and economics and business. The participants will enhance their academic and professional skills, enabling them to lead in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, and to strengthen ties between their country and the United States. Following is a transcript of Deputy Secretary of State Armitage, Assistant Secretary Harrison, and Ambassador Shahryar: (begin transcript) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman REMARKS Deputy Secretary Of State Richard L. Armitage Announcement of Re-establishment of the Fulbright Program with Afghanistan in the State Department Treaty Room Washington, D.C. May 1, 2003 ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARRISON: Good morning. Ambassador, special guests, all of you, friends and supporters of Afghanistan, welcome to the State Department. I am Pat Harrison, Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and it is my pleasure to be here with you today to talk about a significant new milestone for Afghanistan and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. And we are so honored to have you all with us today. I have been involved in many Fulbright events since coming to the State Department. And, of course, each one does have unique qualities, but I feel especially proud today to re-launch a program that underscores, through it's reputation, it's longevity, our commitment to the people of Afghanistan -- America's commitment to the successor generation. The Fulbright Program, as all of you are well aware, is one of public diplomacy's greatest success stories. Tens of thousands of men and women have had the opportunity to study in countries other than their own, and they return home with new insights, knowledge, and friends. And from that point, they look at our world through a wide lens understanding that collaboration, alliances, partnerships are necessary, as we work to end the scourge of terrorism, poverty, illiteracy, and HIV/AIDS. Important partnerships begin right here at the State Department, and today reflects the commitment of the South Asia bureau and the Public Affairs section in Kabul working with ECA to design and plan a program that will provide our Afghan friends with educational and cultural experiences that will forever change their lives and ours. And I'd like to acknowledge Assistant Secretary Christina Rocca for her commitment and just wonderful support. (Applause.) ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARRISON: And, of course, people who can't be here today, Ambassador Finn, and Alberto Fernandez, a public affairs office's -- office -- officer in Kabul, his dedication and commitment ensures that we are going to be able to increase the numbers of Afghan men and women for all of our programs. And now I have the pleasure of introducing a man who is such a strong supporter and advocate of educational, cultural, and professional exchanges. Deputy Secretary Armitage is a leader, who looks at the world through a very wide lens, seeing the sum of all the parts, the long-term sustainable return on investment that accrues when people of the United States and different countries have the opportunity to learn from one another through international education and exchange. His presence here today affirms the commitment we have toward education, as well, for our friends in Afghanistan. And it's my honor to introduce a man whose honor runs deep, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of State, Richard Armitage. (Applause.) DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, Secretary Harrison, thanks so much for your kindness. I want to echo a vast welcome to all of you, particularly Ambassador Shahryar, Ambassador Subasinghe, thank you. You honor us with your presence here today. As I am sure all of you are aware, this is a time of -- a busy time of high stakes diplomacy for this Department of State. And it is at times like these, busy times, such as I just mentioned, that we can sometimes forget what really matters most in relations between nations, that is interaction. But in case the Secretary and I are inclined to forget that, Pat Harrison is there to make sure that we do indeed remember. And in her role as Assistant Secretary, that has done a great deal to advance the interests of the United States. Because, in the end, it is the ties that we forge between individuals and the shared appreciation that we mutually develop for all that is both beautiful and venerable in our societies that brings nations together. So, Pat, thanks for keeping our attention on things that really matter. And, indeed, it is my honor to be here with all of you today, as we renew old ties, and begin a new appreciation between the people of the United States and the people of Afghanistan. I am delighted, again, to welcome you all to this Treaty Room in the Department of State, as we mark the re-establishment of the Fulbright Program in Afghanistan. Ambassador Shahryar, I am particularly delighted that you could be here today to represent your nation because you are -- what you do, in a sense, also represent everything that the Fulbright Program stands for. You combine many years of education and experience in the United States to the great benefit of this country, I might add, with a passionate love of your homeland, and you are helping to bring our countries closer together in our shared struggle for security and for peace. This is, I am afraid, a struggle which will continue for some time to come, but it is a struggle to which the United States is fully committed. And I think Secretary Rumsfeld, present at this moment with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, is witness to that -- to that point; but, indeed, restoring the Fulbright Program is a very important signal of the intention and the intent of the United States because education is inherently a long-term investment. And that's entirely appropriate because the United States is in this for the long term. To date, we have already expended some $1 billion on humanitarian relief and reconstruction in Afghanistan, and we will spend more the $900 million this year alone. The money has gone toward the construction of health clinics, as well as road and bridges, communications networks, energy systems. The money has gone toward security and the training of new military and new police forces, but has also gone for textbooks. And today, three million boys and girls in Afghanistan are enrolled in the newly opened schools. The Fulbright Program is a logical extension of that success; indeed, the Government of Afghanistan has made it clear that education is a top priority. Gains in higher education will play an important part of that conviction -- not just in the lives of Afghan citizens, but in the country's capability to continue making improvements, making improvements in everything from health care to the rule of law, to the role of women in civic life. From its inception, this Fulbright Program will be a partnership informed by the needs of both of our nations. But we will begin by focusing on students from Afghanistan, and we expect 40 to participate in this first year. Ambassador Shahryar, you and your staff have been instrumental in working with us, Pat and her colleagues, to design a program that will best meet Afghanistan's needs. And together, as I understand it, we have come up with a comprehensive program, one that will bring a cross-section of students including grade school teachers, English language instructors and public servants, some of whom will be women, who have not had the opportunity to benefit from a formal education. They will come to a variety of schools around this country; indeed, dozens of American colleges and universities have already expressed their enthusiasm for this program. And we expect that all of those students will make an immediate contribution to the reconstruction of their nation upon their return home. And we have got a good reason to have such high expectations. For over 55 years, the Fulbright Program has proven to be a fruitful partnership with many countries; in fact, 140 countries to date, and for many years Afghanistan was among them. Until war severed our links in 1979, we had an active education and cultural exchange between our nations, which included nearly 400 Fulbright scholars. In fact, we are joined today by several American and Afghan alumni of that program. And in a stunning sign of success of the Fulbright philosophy, all of them playing some kind of role in rebuilding the relationship between America and Afghanistan. So I want to thank all of you who have come here today for the hard work that you have put in restoring the Fulbright Program with Afghanistan. I think it is safe to say that we all wish the Fulbright Program every success as it starts its new life in Afghanistan. I believe -- in fact, I know -- that this program will contribute, not only to the partnership between our two nations, but to the infinity and to the affection between our people, and that provides an excellent segue to the next speaker, who with his infinity for America and his affection for Afghanistan, has been an important partner as our nations work together to face our common challenges and seize our shared opportunities. I am delighted to introduce Ambassador Ishaq Shahryar. (Applause.) AMBASSADOR SHAHRYAR: Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Secretary Armitage for very kind words. And I thank you, Assistant Secretary Christina Rocca, for your efforts in this job, and Ms. Patricia Harrison for all of your efforts to this wonderful program. I have a personal experience, which I cannot help not to tell you today, with the late Senator Fulbright. I was attending an independence, Afghan independence ceremony in '60s, in Afghan Embassy and Ambassador Manniker was there. And I had the honor to meet late Senator Fulbright there, so we got into conversation. And one of the thing he says, he is very much -- likes very much to go to Afghanistan. He had a great desire to go there. So I said, "Senator, I'll tell you what. We are going to arrange a Fulbright scholarship for you to go to Afghanistan." So I couldn't help not to tell you that. After a 24 year absence from Afghanistan, the Fulbright Program is once again making its presence known. The re-establishment of the Fulbright Program in Afghanistan signifies the return of much needed educational opportunities. Deprived of access to education for many years, Afghans are thirsty for knowledge. Many women fell one semester short of receiving their degrees when the Taliban forcefully took control of the country and put an end to the education of women and girls. These women will now have a chance to make up for lost time. Years of war and destruction took its toll on the Afghan side. Unfortunately, for many people the idea that they have a right to an education remains a foreign concept. They have been told for too long that their reality does not allow room for education. On behalf of the Afghan Government, I want to thank the Fulbright Program for making this very important first step back into Afghanistan. The values Afghans place on education makes this an especially proud and defining moment in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan educational framework. Students from various disciplines such as medicine, law, engineering, and education will eagerly avail themselves of this opportunity. Also it is important to highlight the Afghan Government's desire to enter Afghanistan into the Technological Age. We know that a key element of re-integration into the global community is familiarizing ourselves with new advancements in technologies. The computer science component of the program will do much in accomplishing this goal. The Fulbright Program not only represents America's continued commitment to Afghanistan, but also Afghanistan's reentry into the academic world. Participants of this program will be shaped by their experience, and ultimately act as a bridge, further strengthening ties between Afghanistan and America. Participants of the program represents the future leaders who will guide the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan. Thank you very, very much. (Applause.) ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARRISON: Thank you so much, Ambassador, Secretary Armitage, and I also want to acknowledge the South Asian diplomatic representatives from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, as well, of course, our wonderful ambassadors from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, and also the Deputy Assistant Secretary for ECA has worked so hard on this, Tom Farrell. Thank all of you for all you are doing, and all you are going to do. Thank you.