Press point
by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at Kabul Airport
Colonel Morsink who is now at my side beside me and Colonel Flohoss(?) who is going to take over on the first of August will continue the work. What strikes me and that is a message which has not come across sufficiently is that a lot already has been done in the sphere of reconstruction and development despite the fact that also the work on security has to be done. That is certainly something the Dutch PRT will continue.
But the proof has been given here again that it is very well possible to work on infrastructure projects, to work on hosptals, to work on the development of the province, to work on the good relationship with the provincial authorities which is developing well. So you can combine is my main lesson from this brief visit; you can combine creating a climate of security and stability with reconstrunction and development. That's point number one.
Point number two is that we have seen a lot of U.S. investments. We'll see a lot of Dutch investment yet. We see that the relationship with the local population is a good relationship. Trust has been built up and I'm quite sure that my Dutch colleagues, my Dutch countrymen, will do the same because they are excellent in winning hearts and minds of people and they have a lot of experience in these kind of circumstances.
So I leave here in full confidence that we'll see a lot of further progress; that if we get back here in a few months, we can see this compound with your own eyes. And I could only finish by once again thanking our American friends and saying to Colonel Morsink and Colonel Flohoss all the very best in the very important work you're doing, now in building up and at the latest stage seeing that we can help these people in their devleopment.
It's their nation. It's their country. And as one of the briefers said this morning, they want to be left alone. Let's make sure that they can be left alone as soon as possible and take the responsibility for their own affairs. NATO will do everything; NATO-ISAF will do everything to make that possible. That's my message.