Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his country faces no greater challenge than that of international terrorism.
In remarks to the United Nations General Assembly Wednesday, Mr. Karzai said in the year since he last addressed the Assembly, his country has faced a number of important challenges.
The Afghan president spoke on the second day of the annual week-long General Assembly meeting.
He said terrorist forces have significantly increased their attacks and brutality and enjoyed freedom in their sanctuaries. He said Afghanistan has experienced the worst of the violence but that terrorism has spread through the region like "wildfire."
He said the bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul, attacks in the Indian cities of Bangalore and Ahmedabad, and Saturday's bombing at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad are the "most disturbing demonstration of terrorists' growing reach."
He called for the international community to redouble efforts to enable Afghan national security institutions to take on a greater share of the war against terrorism.
Tuesday, he said at a meeting of the Asia Society he supported the idea of forming a joint military task force with the United States and Pakistan to secure both sides of the Afghan-Pakistani border.
Other speakers at the Assembly today include the presidents of Mexico, Israel, and Colombia, as well as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Cuba's José Ramón Machado Ventura of the Council of State and Ministers.