Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the attacks on German soldiers in Afghanistan as "cowardly and treacherous." Two separate attacks in Afghanistan on April 29 left one German soldier dead and nine others injured. Steinmeier insisted, however, that such acts would not stop Germany from "working for a better future for this sorely tried nation."

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Foreign Minister Steinmeier meets with Afghan President Karzai in Kabul on April 29.

(© dpa - International)

Speaking beforehand in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Steinmeier noted that "after the long years of war and civil war we want to help the people of Afghanistan get back on their feet again." Following his meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Steinmeier emphasized the importance of intensifying training for the country's police and armed forces and making progress on reconstruction.

Attacks condemned

German soldiers were the target of two attacks in the vicinity of the Provincial Reconstruction Team Kunduz, which left one soldier dead and nine others injured.

Steinmeier had already condemned the first suicide bombing as a cowardly and treacherous attack on German soldiers in Kunduz. "Of course we won't let such cowardly acts compromise our engagement in and for Afghanistan," he said.

Thanks for German support

President Karzai welcomed Steinmeier to Afghanistan, which the Foreign Minister was visiting for the fourth time. Karzai thanked the German nation for their engagement, which the Afghans greatly appreciated. Some 61 percent of the population was very satisfied with the way Germany was supporting reconstruction and building stability, he noted.

Steinmeier pointed out that while there had been progress in recent years, much still remained to be done. In some areas, however, things were moving in the right direction, something he greatly welcomed.

In addition to his talks with the Afghan President, Steinmeier also met Foreign Minister Dadfar Spanta, Kai Eide, the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, EU Special Representative Ettore Sequi, Hans-Jörg Kretschmer, the head of the EU Delegation to Afghanistan, representatives of ISAF and Interior Minister Hanif Atmar. In the evening he attended a reception hosted by Foreign Minister Spanta.

Security a matter for the Afghans themselves

The aim of Germany's engagement in this South-West Asian country is to enable the Afghans "to take responsibility for their own affairs," Steinmeier explained.

That meant taking responsibility for security, too. That was why Germany was now concentrating on training more Afghan police officers and military personnel.

Regional approach the best way forward

Steinmeier noted that Germany was also supporting a large number of projects as part of the reconstruction effort. He and President Karzai both agreed that a regional approach was key to the success of this huge task. It was right to involve Pakistan in joint problem-solving efforts.

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Steinmeier and Spanta visit the tea pavilion.

(© photothek.net; Köhler)

Steinmeier hoped the alarming developments seen in recent weeks in Pakistan, where the Taliban were becoming ever bolder, could be reversed. Until that happened, "whatever we do in Afghanistan is bound to have only limited success."

On the subject of narcotics cultivation, Steinmeier pointed out that this was now largely non-existent in the north of Afghanistan, thanks also to German efforts. This opened up new prospects for many things – agriculture, for example – that in the past had stood little chance, he explained.

Promoting art and culture

At the end of their talks President Karzai took the time to show Steinmeier around the Kuht-e-Baghtcha tea pavilion, which is being restored with German assistance. In 1880/1881 Emir Abdul Rahman had a pavilion built next to today's presidential palace, where he received guests and staged cultural performances. The octagonal pavilion is richly decorated with garden motifs. Once the restoration work is finished, an exhibition is planned there on the history of Afghanistan.

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The Federal Foreign Office has contributed to the restoration of Kabul's beloved Babur Gardens.

(© photothek.net; Köhler)

Afterwards Steinmeier visited the Babur Gardens with Foreign Minister Spanta. The sixteenth-century gardens were the first to be designed in the classical Mogul style. Babur, the ruler of a huge empire extending from Central Asia to India, was buried at his own wish in Bagh-e-Babur in 1540.

Today the gardens are the Kabul population's favorite place for recreation; families love to picnic there and enjoy the greenery so rare elsewhere in the city.

In the mid-nineties the gardens were severely damaged and the trees especially were all cut down. The task of restoration began under the auspices of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in 2001. Since 2002 the Federal Foreign Office has contributed some 1.3 million euros towards the restoration of the gardens by the Trust as well as for research carried out by the German Archaeological Institute.

International coordination of the aid effort

In recent weeks the international community has taken a critical look at its involvement in Afghanistan. The US has announced plans to reorient its engagement. The Afghanistan Conference in The Hague and the NATO Summit in Strasbourg and Kehl/Baden-Baden gave fresh impetus to the joint efforts of the international community and the Afghan Government. It was agreed that only a regional approach can bring lasting stability. At the same time, the states committed to a combined civil and military strategy for reconstruction. Developing the Afghan police and armed forces will remain a special focus of attention. In addition, greater emphasis is to be placed on civil reconstruction with a view to furthering the country's economic and social development.