E. VENIZELOS: Mr. Minister, in the name of the President of the Hellenic Republic, I have the very great honour of bestowing upon you today the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour, which has been conferred upon you by the President of the Hellenic Republic, by reason of the exceptional services you have provided to Greek-Afghan friendship.
You are a person with very close links to Greece, to Greek culture and to Greek science. You speak impeccable Greek, you are always a friend to Greece and Greek culture, but mainly a scientist schooled at the University of Thessaloniki’s History and Archaeology Department.
You have studied alongside many great Greek archaeologists, such as Manolis Andronikos, and you have distinguished yourself not only in the field of Archaeology, but also as a transport engineer, having also completed studies in the U.S., where you distinguished yourself professionally.
It has been more than ten years now since you returned to Afghanistan, devoting yourself to the reconstruction of your country, under very difficult conditions, and you have served in very high offices – for many years, as Afghanistan’s alternate Minister for Culture and Communications and Information.
Thanks to you, the cooperation between our governments was very close and very important, and the work you have carried out must be made known internationally.
You played a decisive role in the re-opening of the Museum of Kabul. You played a very important role in the protection of major monuments of global cultural heritage in Afghanistan. You played a very important role in pointing up Bactrian antiquities. I am pleased that you offer your services to the government of Afghanistan and to the President for the reconstruction of the country. You have your own scientific activities, your own excavation, and your thoughts are always turned to Greece, to Hellenic culture, to Greek science.
It is a very great pleasure, as your friend, on behalf of the President of the Hellenic Republic, to bestow upon you this very important honour.
O. SULTAN: I would like to say a few words. Without your help, without the help of the Greek people, nothing could have been done in Afghanistan. I thank you very much for giving the opportunity to me – it is a great honour, as an Afghan. I think that my second homeland is Greece. I thank you very much; especially those of you who helped me, and Mrs. Mendoni from the Culture Ministry. I cannot forget that, and I thank you and love all of you.
E. VENIZELOS: Thank you. Our wishes go out to the Afghan people for a safe course for peace and prosperity.
October 29, 2013