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Tony Abbott visits Afghanistan to declare Australia's war over Tony Abbott visits Afghanistan to declare Australia's war over
(about 5 hours later)
Tony Abbott has declared a "bitter-sweet end" to Australia's war in Afghanistan, saying a high price had been paid but Australian involvement had made the country a better place. Tony Abbott has declared an end to Australia’s frontline involvement in Afghanistan during a surprise visit to troops, saying the ADF’s presence in Uruzgan province had been worth its “high price”.
Addressing soldiers in the main Australian base in Tarin Kowt, the prime minister said troops had done their work remarkably well with an extraordinary degree of professionalism. The prime minister spoke at a special ceremony at the ADF-operated Tarin Kowt base in Uruzgan province. He confirmed the Australian mission in the region would wind down by the end of the year.
"It has been worth it. This has been a very difficult commitment. People have paid a high price. We have lost 40 of our best. We mourn them, we remember them, we honour them, we want to work with their families. We will never forget them," he said. “It has been worth it. This has been a very difficult commitment. People have paid a high price. We have lost 40 of our best. We mourn them, we remember them, we honour them, we want to work with their families. We will never forget them," Abbott said.
Abbott said this was a sweet moment, as most of Australia's soldiers in Afghanistan would be home by Christmas. He added that Australia’s involvement was ending, “not with victory, not with defeat, but with, we hope, an Afghanistan that is better for our presence here”.
It was bitter because 40 would not and Afghanistan remained a dangerous place, he said. He described the withdrawal as “bitter-sweet”. It was “sweet because hundreds of soldiers will be home for Christmas; bitter because not all Australian families have had their sons, fathers and partners return. Sweet because our soldiers have given a magnificent account of themselves; bitter because Afghanistan remains a dangerous place despite all that has been done.”
He said the war was ending, "not with victory, not with defeat, but with, we hope, an Afghanistan that is better for our presence here". Australia will continue to provide support to Afghanistan beyond 2014, including training of the Afghan national security forces and development assistance.
Abbott said Afghanistan's interior minister, Omar Daudzai, had pointed out that there was now education and health available in Oruzgan province. Australian forces have maintained a permanent presence in Uruzgan since 2005, with more than 20,000 serving in the country since the start of the war.
"As far as it can be in a rugged and difficult country, it is education and health for everyone including the women of Oruzgan province," he said. Abbott was accompanied on the trip by the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, marking the first Australian bipartisan political visit to Afghanistan.
Abbott, making his fourth visit to Afghanistan but first as PM, was accompanied by the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, in the first ever bipartisan political visit to Afghanistan. Addressing the ceremony, attended by defence personnel, Afghan officials and representatives from a range of other countries, Shorten said: “I don't think saying thank you is quite enough but it's the words that we can find. You can be assured that every Australian knows of this and appreciates it and honours it.”
Shorten said this was his first overseas trip as opposition leader. In a later release Abbott said that Australian presence in the region had helped build schools, improve healthcare and upgrade infrastructure. He said there were now 26 girls’ schools in the province, and 200 schools in the area, marking a twentyfold increase since the war began.
"You make us proud to be Australian. This is an uncertain place," he said. The Tarin Kowt base will handed over to Afghan forces when the ADF departs.
"I don't think saying thank you is quite enough but it's the words that we can find. At the ceremony, the chief of the defence force, David Hurley, said a “lasting friendship” had been forged between the ADF and Afghan forces.
"You can be assured that every Australian knows of this and appreciates it and honours it." “The Afghan people have shown strong support for their own security forces and growing confidence that the Afghan national security forces can confront and defeat the insurgents in their own right.
The defence force chief General David Hurley said he was immensely proud of the work of defence personnel. “The ADF and our civilian partners have made a lasting contribution to Uruzgan with tangible improvements that have significantly enhanced the quality of life for the people who live in the province,” he said.
Hurley said over the next 10 weeks, the Australian Defence Force would complete its mission in Oruzgan and most would begin to return to Australia.
"As this process begins, we reflect on the lasting friendship that has been forged with the people of Afghanistan and ties that we have established with our Afghan and Coalition partners," he said.
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