Karzai Says Afghanistan 'Worst Victim' Of Terrorism
September 20, 2006
Karzai addresses the general debate of the 61st session of the General Assembly of the UN on September 20 (epa)
Karzai said terrorism is "rebounding" in his country, with militants infiltrating the borders to wage attacks on civilians.
He said that terrorism "does not emanate from within Afghanistan.... Military action in Afghanistan alone, therefore, will not deliver our shared goal of eliminating terrorism."
He called for assistance from the international community to destroy terrorist sanctuaries inside and outside Afghanistan.
"We must look beyond Afghanistan to the sources of terrorism," he said. "We must destroy terrorist sanctuaries beyond Afghanistan, dismantle the elaborate networks in the region that recruit, indoctrinate, train, finance, arm, and deploy terrorists."
Karzai said terrorist activities are also robbing thousands of Afghan children of their right to education, and prevent health workers from doing their jobs in Afghanistan.
He also pledged to eradicate opium-poppy cultivation in his country, which he said helps fuel the ongoing insurgency.
(Reuters, dpa)