Entirety at our website, cspan. Org. The Vice President of afghanistan told the United Nations today that attacks from terrorist groups against afghan civilians are being planned from pakistan territory. His remarks are next on cspan3. Local Law Enforcement officials testify about security challenges facing the u. S. After that, the premier of china talks about his countrys economy. And later, a conversation on technology and innovation. Cspans washington journal live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. This thursday morning, were live from the Cannon House Office building on capitol hill where members of the House Homeland Security committee discuss the recent bombings in new york and new jersey. Also the overall threat environment in the country and the work of their committee. Guests include new jersey democratic congressman donald payne jr. , Georgia Republican congressman barry laudermilk, Brian Higgins and Pennsylvania Republican scott perry who is the chair of the subcommittee on oversight and management efficiency. Watch cspans washington journal live beginning at 7 00 eastern thursday morning. Join the discussion. Afghan Vice PresidentSarwar Danesh spoke about security challenges facing his country and the region. Topics included iran, syria, north Koreas Nuclear program and relations with pakistan. His remarks at the u. N. General assem plea in new york city are about 30 minutes. So i have great pleasure in welcoming the Vice President of the Islamic Republic of afghanistan. His excellency Sarwar Danesh, and i invite him to address the General Assembly. Translator mr. President , your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct pleasure to attend the 71st session of the u. N. General assembly. I would like to sincerely congratulate ambassador Peter Townsend from fiji at assuming the presidency of this years General Assembly session. And want to thank his excellency ban kimoon, the u. N. Secretarygeneral, for a decade of his persistent efforts and wise leadership in arenas of support on fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, justice for all, and wish him every success in his future endeavors. Mr. President , the 21st century has brought with it an evercomplex international arena. Some old conflicts have lingered. With new threats and challenges in the forms of wiviolent extremism and terrorism, displacement and migration, Climate Change and other challenges have emerged threatening all of humanity. We have realized that their cooperation provides the most viable avenue to promote peace and security. And to ensure a World Without hatred and conflict. We believe that the u. N. Still remains the single most Important International body for the promotion of global peace, security and prosperity and that achieving a more Stronger Organization remains a priority for all of us and the way forward. The United Nations vital role in helping afghanistan transition into a democratic and realistic society is a clear example of the profound impact in helping to create real change for better societies and communities around the world. Allow me to update the assembly on the current state of affairs in my country. While the government of National Unity in afghanistan has passed two years since establishment, i would like to briefly present our view of the achievements of the government of National Unity under the leadership of his excellency, dr. Muhammad ashraf ghani, the elected president of the Islamic Republic of afghanistan. Mr. President , we in afghanistan aim to strengthen the spread of National Participation and cooperation for reflection and implementation of wishes and will of the afghan citizens. Based on national consensus, all groups, political figures and afghan elites inside and out of the government are jointly sharing ideas for strengthening the political system and the government of National Unity and for implementation of reforms within the framework of national interests. The Afghan Nation has inherited a legacy of conflict, oppression, discrimination and inequality. We believe democracy is the best solution to these problems as it provides the only foundation to ensure justice and inequality and enable social and political groups to be adequately represented. To this end, we have a modern institution that provides for this goal. And only its full implementation can ensure political stability in our society. Our government has made considerable achievements in different areas over the past two years, including reducing maternal and child mortality, increasing access to education, improving basic freedoms, strengthening the telecommunications and information sectors, improving the rule of law and preserving justice and human rights. Internationally, our government has gained a proper status for proving to be a trustworthy partner to the many countries that are engaging afghanistan and have enlisted for security and stability of the country. We are sparing no effort in implementing our commitments towards reforms. Our plan and systematic efforts are ongoing to eliminate corruption and strengthen good governance, judicial reforms, promote womens empowerment, ensure Effective Service delivery for our citizens, ensure accountability standard at all levels of the government, institutionalize meritbased appointments of senior officials, as well as to secure transparency in government contracts with the establishment of the National Procurement committee. In order to strengthen transparency of our future parliamentary president ial and District Council elections, the process of consultations and technical and legal studies on reforming the electoral bodies and electoral laws has concluded, and initial steps towards electoral reforms will begin very soon. Combating the threat of narcotics is another priority of the National Unity government. In this regard, we are cooperating closely with the u. N. Odc and other International Partners and will continue our joint efforts with the National Action plan framework. At the warsaw nato summit last july, nato members and our other allies pledged to provide 1 billion u. S. Dollars in support on an annual basis for the Afghan National defense and Security Forces until the end of 2020. Also the results of our mission which offer support in areas of training advisory and assistance to the afghan Security Forces was also extended beyond 2016. We extend a particular debt of gratitude to the United States of america for providing the largest share of support. In less than two weeks time, afghanistan and our International Partners will come together at the brussels conference to review and reach important decisions on the fullest scope of the joint partnership in the way forward. The National Unity government will be presenting comprehensive update on the positive trajectory of our Reform Efforts conductod the basis of selfreliance. Through mutual accountability framework, we look forward to our International Partners to make new assistance on the basis of afghanistan peace and development framework. Mr. President , despite these achievements, continuation of the undeclared war against afghanistan, the need for security still remains a serious challenge for the government of National Unity as our people are still subject to merciless attacks of terrorist groups. Currently, more than ten terrorist groups were sent from outside afghanistan with the goal of creating obstacles for our state building efforts and preventing the establishment of peace and stability are fighting against us in afghanistan. One of their main objectives is to suppress democracy, freedom of speech and our free and independent media. That is why our journalists are subject to serious threats while reporting from the battlefields. And also during terrorist attacks. Afghanistan requests the United Nations to appoint a special representative for the safety of journalists focused on the protecting all journalists, including those serving in afghanistan. Over the past several months, terrorists, including taliban and daesh who continue to enjoy foreign support attacked the peaceful and civil demonstration of the Enlightenment Movement in kabul and killed tens of our educated youth and elite. They also attacked the university of afghanistan and other civilian facilities, killing hundreds of innocent civilians. Based on existing evidence, these attacks were planned and organized from the other side of the line inside pakistani territory. This year, the taliban tried to take control of more areas in the country, especially in kunduz and helmand provinces. As a result, hundreds of extremist militants of taliban and daesh, many of whom were foreign fighters, were killed or captured. We call on the International Community to pay particular attention to the elimination of terrorist safe havens located outside of the country. We are to implement their international pledges in the fight against terrorism and to avoid a dual policy of making a distinction between good and bad terrorists which undermines the international order. We ask all of you, what were the previous leaders of the taliban and al qaeda residing. And where were they killed. And this very moment, where are the leaders of the taliban and Haqani Network cloelocated . From where and how are terrorists being trained, equipped and financed during a fullscale war . We have repeatedly asked our neighboring country pakistan to destroy the known terrorist safe havens, but we, unfortunately, have yet to witness any change in the situation. Afghanistan has always desired peaceful relations with all countries of the region. However, the government of National Unity reserves the right to do whatever is necessary for the defense and protection of our people. We have also kept open the doors of peace and negotiations for those taliban elements and other groups who are willing to give up violence, return to peaceful life and adhere to our constitution. In this connection, a Peace Agreement is about to be signed between our government and the Islamic Party that will be an important step for progress in our peace process. We believe that the quad lateral Coordination Group composed of afghanistan, peoples republic of china, pakistan and the United States can remain a useful platform to further peace efforts. So long as the government of pakistan acts in good faith to meet and fulfill its commitment within the parameters of the qcgs road map. Mr. President , despite our security challenges, afghanistan has always maintained a positive approach in regards to our relations with all regional countries. And islam ic world. We consider them to be our best partners and seek to strengthen our cultural, social and economic ties and to use our experience to promote peace and coexistence and present a moderate interpretation of islam. In this regard, we welcome the express readiness of the organization of the islamic cooperation and any islamic country to help promote the peace agenda in afghanistan. I want to add that islam as a religion, as a clear thought, culture, civilization and history on the one hand respects human dignity, rights and freedoms and drives National Sovereignty from the will of people. And on the other hand, is against any kind of injustice, exclusivism, hatred, radicalism and violence. Those individuals and groups that resort to violence, terror and killing under any name are not acquainted with the spread of this humane religion and are using islam as a tool to achieve their evil goals. How can islam possibly give permission for terrorism and suicide attacks . To take lives of thousands of innocent people. Who are clearly considered human as representative of god. In the holy versus of koran and considers the killing of one innocent human equal to that of killing all of humanity. We expect of the prominent islamic scholars who will take part in a conference in mecca to further enlighten the true image of islam and declare their condemnation of terrorist and extremists on behalf of our great religion. Mr. President , in order to achieve Regional Cooperation, we need to have a stable region. Afghanistans Foreign Policy is founded on the creation of an economy based society. Afghanistan is an active member of the Regional Organization of sarc and echo and an observer member of the shanghai organization. It aims to actively take part in the revitalization of Regional Cooperation agenda within the heart of asia, stumble and processes. Afghanistan and all of the regional countries have common threats and common interests. We should come together and cooperate to fight against our common threats, including terrorism, radicalism, drugs, organized crimes, illegal immigration and smuggling. Also, the establishment of the regional railroad, energy transit, mine extraction, trade and transit can provide an important joint Economic Cooperation for us. Afghanistan is an important crossroad of trade, transit and Economic Activities can connect the south asia with central asia and the middle east to the east and south asia. Within china, iran, afghanistan and expansion of cooperation in the port of iran. With implementation of these projects afghanistan can reach to International Markets and countries can also get better connected with respect to the principle of noninterference and other countries im holding use of force in resolution of conflicts, respected territorial integrity and national governty, exchange of knowledge and science and technology and most important of all we can prepare for Economic Growth of all countries of our region. Request neighboring countries and in the region and the first country to become the un country and member state and its International Commitments or in the last 16 years we have served as a point of emergence whereby the International Community has come together in this connection i wish to also highlight and thank the uns role in facilitating a role for afghanistan stability and prosperity. During recent years we have signed documents of longterm tra teejic cooperation with 20 of our allies including the us, eu and in a to and important conferences of london, chicago and warsaw and policies and decisions and like other members of the International Community its serious and decisive in fighting against radicalism and its against this ominous phenomenon. It has been years since our nation is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and has made tremendous sacrifices in order to defend common values of humanity. We have lost many of our Great National figures and hundreds of in peace officers and journalists and members. However we believe that terrorism has become Global Threats against world peace. This is true when we witnessed science of radicalism and different forms in europe and america and incidents of terrorist attacks in many countries over the world. In this regard, and considering the extent of these threats, measures of the International Community against tourism and radicalism will not be enough and successful millions the effective wholistic measures encompassing political, cultural, economic and even military aspects are considered as a universal strategic need. The un should hold an International Conference with the gain of introducing a new set up to combat terrorism. We believe serious efforts in the fight against terrorism and radicalism are in need of exact and thorough planning for at least 20 years and in this plan afghanistan should receive special attention from the International Community as they are at the forefront of this fight. One of the ominous outcomes of violence and radicalism is the new wave of immigration last year that made it an Important International challenge. We express gratitude to the countries t