Acknowledging Afghanistan’s achievements in the past five years, the President said:

“We have taken significant steps towards prosperity and development in the past two years by laying the foundation stone of a stable Afghanistan.  Millions of Afghans took part in the presidential and parliamentary elections with enthusiasm.  We are continuing our effort to build schools and clinics and create jobs for our people.  Our commercial and trade ties with countries of the region are strengthened day by day, industrial activities are rapidly expanding, and as a result our income per capita has doubled compared to the year 2002.”

Regarding the challenges Afghanistan continues to face, he added:

“Our efforts for a prosperous, stable and democratic Afghanistan have suffered some setbacks.  We witnessed heinous acts by terrorists who crossed our borders into Afghanistan and committed barbaric acts of terrorism against our people.

The terrorists see their final defeat in the prosperity of the people of Afghanistan.  The terrorists spare no efforts in preventing Afghanistan’s success and in bringing the common effort by the international community in rebuilding Afghanistan to failure.

Therefore, they resort to beheading our aged women, detonating mosques and schools, and killing students, teachers, military, and civilian foreigners who have come to our country to help the Afghan people.

If we don’t fight the terrorists decisively, they will continue killing our people and cause more damages.  Terrorism does not have roots in Afghanistan.  Afghanistan is the prime victim of this menace.  Resorting to the military for eliminating this menace is not enough.  We must look beyond Afghanistan and find the original source of terrorism.  We must destroy the terrorists’ sanctuaries outside Afghanistan’s soil and target their recruiting networks and funding and arming sources.  We must not allow specific political circles in the region to use extremism for their political agenda.”

The President also described narcotics as the feeding ground for terrorism and a serious threat to legitimate economic development.

Expressing regret over Islam’s image in the West and the issues that feed it, the President said:

“This type of feeling does not augur well for creating understanding among civilizations.  Afghanistan, as a Muslim nation, is committed not only to defend Islam, but also facilitate friendship among the followers of other religions.”

The situation in the Middle East is still a matter of concern to all of us.  Afghanistan strongly supports the rights of Palestinian people to self-determination alongside the Israeli state and wants them to live in peace and harmony.

Afghanistan shares the pains and sufferings of the people of Lebanon.  We hope the international community realizes this concern and generously tries to meet the needs of Lebanon.”

In his concluding remarks, President Karzai thanked Kofi Annan and the international community for their commitment to Afghanistan and to peace and prosperity around the world: