UK ambassador in Kabul: People who think we have a hidden agenda in Afghanistan are living in nineteen century

Parts of the UK Ambassador Sherard Cowper-Coles interview with Afghan Local Radio: Salamwatandr

Question:There are many people in Helmand who believe that Britain is inchoate with the Taliban, we had the Governor of Musa-Qala in the studio a couple days ago who fictively level the same charges and suggested that Britain does not want to bring stability to Helmand if it did it could have done that long time ago, this is your chance to response to these charges:

Cowper: Well I would say over hundred and forty British soldiers have died many times that numbers have been wounded in Helmand we spending billions of pounds of British tax pays us money to try and stabilize and develop the provinces I can not see in a rational Sean would what conceivable interest Britain would have in supporting insurgency by the Taliban I mean its just pure fantasy the most lodicules conspiracy ferry that is hardly would replaying to why we should want our soldier to be killed by the Taliban . Just a begs Believe and I am sure that thing we could batter I am sure we need to be working batter with local afghan authority’s I am sure together we will find even more effective ways addressing the challenges in Helmand , but to think I mean if you just think about it for a moment I right to the wife’s to the mothers every British soldier killed in Helmand why should we want these people killed in mind there why would we support the Taliban on attacking our won forces , just doesn’t makes sense I hope if your listeners if they think about it for a moment will realize that we are with them in Helping them secure and stabilize the province for them self’s we as I have said repeatedly ever since I been here we are open the idea of Taliban reconciling to government of Afghanistan through the alternative Programs
Provided they can accept the constitution and provided Of course they don’t have the continuing link with Al-Qaeda.

Question:So Britain has no hidden agenda for Helmand or Afghanistan?
Cowper: People who think we have a hidden agenda of hidden anything else are living in nineteen century they need to fast forward about hundred and fifty years this is not great game this is the twenty century Britain is in Afghanistan as part of forty nation coalition sometimes reading the Afghan Press sometimes reading the British Press you thing Britain was here alone in fact we are very small part 12 percent I think of a massive international military effort.
Yes, But in Helmadn you’re the largest form presence.
Question:What is your agenda, goal for Afghanistan not the hundred and twenty years ago but today?
Cowper: Our agenda is your agenda we want what you want for your self’s through your government through your governors, through the shoras of local elders through the Qaum through the tribes and every thing we hear suggest that ordinary afghans want what ordinary people want around the world which is a better future for their children’s they want safety, security they want their children to be able to go to school they want to be able to go to market the want to be able …
And our job is not to secure this country on your behalf its to help you do it which is why so much of our military efforts in Helmand is putting to training the army, training the police staff on there Ruther then getting out in front having to do the fighting our self’s.

Question:Present Karzai Said a number of accusations that the security situation in Helmand is gotten worse since British forces arrived in the provinces suggesting some kind of a link, he has also said that the only areas outside the control of the government forces are insecure and grow puppies , you response?
Cowper: Well I understand the president Concerns and I sympathies with him and he’s made them same point to me in privet as he made in public, I would say samply that as I say time and time again we are in Helmand at your invitation at your suggestion to support the Afghan governor of Helmand Gulabulad-e-Mangal to support the Shoras of elders and it may be true that efforts by the Afghan army and police supported by us to deal with drug ranks to deal with terrorism do provoke a temporary spike and violence but if you look at what happened in Garmser in the south there was a Spike violence when earlier last year that British and Americans moved to clear out a great arrear of the Helmand Vale but now violence dropped to the actually zero.

When you going to an area to secure it there is an increasing violence and on the question of the suggestion from some the drugs trade case earlier with international forces are there international community is the reality of course is the international forces and international community are in the provinces where does instability and puppy thrives and instability the lack of law on other is a criminal activity growing puppy is also Haram it’s a its Criminal activity treading opium it also happens to be Haram and reason why we are predominately in the provinces where we see this criminal activities is because the Taliban are there too and the Taliban feeding of the puppy trade although they claim to be Muslims they would no if they read the holy Quran and Sunat and Hadis that profiting from the trade of Opium is Haram they still doing it and they taxing the reached formers the Helmand really quite heavily.