Today, the leaders of the European Union are in Oslo to receive the Nobel peace prize. The Nobel committee decided to award the European Union with this prize because the EU is seen as an example of a successful settlement of long lasting conflicts. It is also seen as a promoter of Democracy, Human Rights and peaceful settlement of conflicts beyond its borders.

After two world wars, which claimed the lives of over 75 million people, Europe lay devastated; a continent of enemies. However, thanks to the statesmanship of true visionaries such as Robert Schumann and Jean Monnet, Europe embarked on a path towards peace and reconciliation. The EU's success in achieving peace amongst warring nations can be an inspiration to others, including people in Afghanistan, to overcome sectarian strife and deeply engrained hatred.

The European project was initially based sorely on economic cooperation through the European Coal and Steel Community. However the vision was always political. Year by year, the European countries used that vision to overcome the divisions between the East and West, which were finally healed when ten Central and Eastern European countries joined the EU in 2004. Now, the European Union has grown to include 27 member states that together cover much of the European continent.

The EU, with its member states, is the largest economy in the world and the world's biggest aid donor. We are proud that this project for a united Europe continues to attract other countries, acting as an incentive to renounce violence and implement democracy and human rights. The EU will soon welcome Croatia as its 28th member state.

However, reconciliation is a long term and evolving process that needs nurturing. This process in Europe has been based on a respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Many European countries have in the last quarter century cast aside oppressive regimes, and a number have emerged from conflict. Their peoples, more than anyone, understand the importance of a truly just and representative system of government. This not only underpins the fundamental freedoms Europeans enjoy, but is also the basis for the continent's social and economic development.

The European Union is one of the most successful peacekeeping projects, demonstrating that reconciliation is possible and how powerful agreeing on a new beginning can be.

Afghanistan is one of Europe's top priorities in foreign policy. The European Union has an enduring commitment to the Afghan government and to its people. It stands ready to provide long-term support to Afghanistan and its neighbours into the "decade of transformation." Proof of this relationship will be the Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development between Afghanistan and the EU, which is about to be finalised.

This agreement will provide the framework for a political and economic cooperation and provide a solid basis and continuous support to Afghanistan over the next decade, in particular in the areas of economic development, governance, justice and human rights, especially women's rights.

The European Union will continue to work tirelessly with the people of Afghanistan and ensure that Afghanistan can count on the EU's support in building on the achievements of the past decade to reinforce itself as a sovereign nation whereby all the stakeholders both inside the country and abroad understand the power of cooperation and the benefit of peace.