Many Afghans were upset by the presence of warlords at the recent Loya Jirga. Is your policy to include this group in government? I plan to deliver to the Afghan people what they ask of me. They want a central government, and that authority has to serve them. I’m not here to promote regionalism. I’m not here to promote warlordism. I will not do that.
Will the armed groups controlled by warlords be integrated into the national Army? There cannot be separate armed groups. I’m asking the international community to deliver their promises on that.
So they will merge with the national Army? There’s no will, they have to. Or else they’re rebels and we’ll go after them.
There were initially some protests from staff at the Ministry of Interior about the appointment of Taj Mohammed Wardak to the top post. They have to recognize that this is not a private enterprise. It’s not a shop. It’s the Afghan Ministry of Interior, not someone’s personal property. And those Afghans who feel that it’s their personal property must leave this government before we fire them.
You have good relations with both Iran and the United States. Can you play a part in bringing them together? I wish I could. Iran and America are both friends of Afghanistan. They both played an important role in supporting the Loya Jirga.
Did either put you under any pressure? No. They’ve both said that their own relationship will not affect their relations with Afghanistan.
