In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate

Your Majesty Father of the Nation,
Your Excellency Prime Minister of the Republic of India,
Excellencies,
Dear fellow Afghans,
Ladies and gentlemen,


In God's name and with hopes for the prosperity of our great nation, today we lay the foundation stone of Afghanistan's National Assembly building. Parliament is the home and the manifestation of the will of people. People are the source of political power; people have the right to decide how their representatives may use this power. A nation that is unable to control its destiny is no more than a collection of people who are but prisoners.

Thanks be to God the Almighty who granted our nation the opportunity to become master of its destiny once again. The forthcoming parliamentary elections will be an important step towards realising this. By holding free and democratic elections, we Afghans will ensure that Afghanistan becomes a country that is Muslim and democratic. We will make every effort to implement the principles of democracy and tolerance and to leave to the future generations a country that has an open political culture. Our transition from a war-torn country devoid of national government and the rule of law to a country with a state, the rule of law and proud relations with fellow nations is, in fact, the realisation of the dreams of the heroes of this land – from the Independence Movement to the Resistance against the Soviet Union and subsequent aggressions.

We are pleased that we are laying the foundation stone of our Parliament's building in the presence of His Excellency Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India. The Republic of India is the world's biggest democracy. It is a country that has shown that democracy is not a characteristic of the advanced western nations of the world – but in fact countries of the eastern culture could also present successful examples democratic polities. India has more than a billion people with different cultures, religions and languages. By facilitating participation from its people, India has been able to make a stable and pluralistic democracy a reality for Indians. Asian and African countries in general, and Afghanistan in particular, can learn much from the rich experience of India.

The establishment of a stable polity – a system where government institutions are fully active and the principle of law is respected – is the only path to lasting peace and internal stability. In this regard, the Indian parliament has acted as the true representative of the will of people. We Afghans hope that our parliament will also move on the same path and will play its role as the guardian and guarantor of democracy and the republic. This wish is a reflection of the longstanding desires of the Afghan people – as their desire for peace, their desire for access to employment and security have not yet been fully realised.

It is a coincidence, I believe, that Afghanistan's National Assembly building is being constructed with the help of the biggest and most colourful democracy on earth – and that we today lay the foundation stone of the parliament building together with His Excellency the Prime Minister of India. It is our hope that democracy will flourish and live forever in Afghanistan.

Your Excellency Prime Minister,

Taking this opportunity, I express most sincere thanks to the Republic of India and Your Excellency for all your significant contributions to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, to the upgrading of education, and to the strengthening of political institutions in our country. In particular, please accept our gratitude for helping the construction of our National Assembly building. Our friendship and close relations between our countries is not only a reflection of our common position on regional and global issues, but also a reflection of the many commonalities that the people of Afghanistan and the Indian Sub-continent have enjoyed over the centuries and ages.

Let the friendship between our two peoples be forever. This friendship, which is based on the principles of peace, equality and non-interference, will be an example on the basis of which we can achieve peace, good will and co-operation for the prosperity of our peoples in the region and the world at large.

Your Excellency Prime Minister,

Please convey the gratitude of the people of Afghanistan to the people of India and to His Excellency the President of India. I once again thank for visiting us here in our country. The Afghan people are pleased to welcome you in this ancient land of Afghanistan.

Thank you!