WEBVTT 00:01.860 --> 00:03.160 Okay he is the workers. 00:03.720 --> 00:04.790 Of the United States. 00:05.720 --> 00:08.060 Special representative who binge thank you for your briefing 00:08.060 --> 00:12.230 today and for your on-going leadership in challenging circumstances. 00:12.390 --> 00:15.620 We wish you all the best and are grateful to you for your service 00:15.970 --> 00:17.370 in a very difficult assignment. 00:18.110 --> 00:21.180 Thank you and master team for your statement which eloquently 00:21.180 --> 00:24.030 conveyed the stakes of the current impasse. 00:25.130 --> 00:28.570 My remarks today will center on two issues the election and the 00:28.570 --> 00:31.620 role of the intimate and the international community going forward. 00:32.540 --> 00:33.750 First on the election. 00:34.430 --> 00:37.180 As the efforts to finalize the results of the election proceeded 00:37.180 --> 00:40.310 we should not lose sight of the commitment of the Afghan people 00:40.400 --> 00:41.550 to their democracy. 00:42.250 --> 00:45.480 Many Afghan voters took real arrests and overcame fears for their 00:45.480 --> 00:47.290 safety to cast their ballots. 00:47.880 --> 00:50.730 The matter who they voted for their votes were in affirmation 00:50.760 --> 00:53.350 of Afghans desire to shape their country's future. 00:54.140 --> 00:57.160 We command Afghan auditor's an observer's for the critically 00:57.160 --> 01:00.600 important part that they have played in this process feels a 01:00.600 --> 01:03.590 commanding un and in particular you animate and you and the PE 01:03.590 --> 01:06.680 for their constructive role in the electoral process. 01:07.400 --> 01:11.070 One of the Afghans devoted was mohammad ish my old attire shop 01:11.070 --> 01:12.040 owner in kabul. 01:12.760 --> 01:15.600 In the june run a few brought his six year old daughter needed 01:15.680 --> 01:16.880 with him to the polls. 01:17.780 --> 01:20.340 She insisted its momma told the new york times. 01:21.090 --> 01:23.680 When I told her she didn't have a voter card. She told me she 01:23.680 --> 01:24.610 would use mine. 01:25.500 --> 01:28.370 He said I never thought I'd have a chance to bring my daughter 01:28.370 --> 01:29.720 to participate in ago. 01:30.850 --> 01:34.280 The turnout of people like mohamed is a measure of the progress 01:34.280 --> 01:36.940 Afghanistan has made in the last 13 years. 01:37.500 --> 01:40.790 That progress has come at a high price as a suicide attack in 01:40.790 --> 01:44.290 kabul earlier this week which killed three people and wounded 01:44.290 --> 01:46.940 five more brought in to stark relief. 01:47.450 --> 01:50.850 So many people have given their lives to build more democratic 01:50.850 --> 01:53.060 secure and prosperous Afghanistan. 01:54.090 --> 01:56.240 And while there have been some setbacks. 01:57.440 --> 01:58.610 The progress israel. 01:59.320 --> 02:02.580 Afghan since seen improved access to education for all children 02:02.580 --> 02:06.140 including girls less than a million students were enrolled in 02:06.140 --> 02:10.370 school in 2001 none of them girls today more than eight point 02:10.370 --> 02:13.400 three million students attend school a furtive and girls. 02:14.070 --> 02:18.050 Health care has improved dramatically a decade ago 10% to the 02:18.050 --> 02:22.030 Afghan people had access to basic health services today nearly 02:22.030 --> 02:22.940 two thirds do. 02:24.170 --> 02:27.550 During this decade Afghanistan has seen the fastest gains in 02:27.550 --> 02:32.010 life expectancy maternal health and child health in the entire world. 02:32.810 --> 02:37.870 In 2001 that was virtually no independent Afghan media only Taliban propaganda. 02:38.530 --> 02:42.480 Today Afghans can listen to a hundred and 75 fm radio stations 02:42.480 --> 02:46.660 watch 75 TV channels and re hundreds of print publications. 02:47.180 --> 02:50.430 All of that progress has changed people's lives. For the batter. 02:52.150 --> 02:55.970 And a bad marble patients of most Afghans with the democratic 02:55.970 --> 03:00.110 process particularly through the recent re count is a reflection 03:00.110 --> 03:01.380 of the progress as well. 03:02.270 --> 03:05.890 All of this progress. Now hangs in the balance until now the 03:05.890 --> 03:08.680 candidates of been willing to stay at the table and work toward 03:08.680 --> 03:11.730 a compromise that would avoid the kind of divisions the could 03:11.730 --> 03:16.160 undermine Afghanistan's of bath advancements toward greater stability. 03:16.820 --> 03:20.240 Both of openly express their commitment to putting Afghanistan's future. 03:20.240 --> 03:25.070 First our message to damned today is to persevere in that effort 03:25.430 --> 03:27.950 and forged a durable. Compromise. 03:29.370 --> 03:33.070 Second we support you know I'm is ongoing efforts to assist the 03:33.070 --> 03:36.500 Afghanistan government from building good governance and strengthening 03:36.500 --> 03:39.430 economic development to promoting regional cooperation. 03:40.040 --> 03:43.960 Intimate has been Afghanistan's partners since 2002 and will 03:43.960 --> 03:46.680 continue to play a role in the country's development. 03:47.450 --> 03:50.500 The United States is also committed to Afghanistan's ongoing 03:50.500 --> 03:54.080 growth development and security and will remain a close partner 03:54.110 --> 03:55.240 of the Afghan government. 03:55.970 --> 03:59.560 That commitment to Afghanistan is rooted in the strategic partnership 03:59.560 --> 04:01.650 that we entered into in 2000 twelve. 04:02.260 --> 04:04.970 We look for de working with the new Afghan government to a line 04:04.970 --> 04:08.260 are developing assistance with its priorities and uphold the 04:08.260 --> 04:11.650 turkey yo tokyo mutual accountability framework. 04:12.390 --> 04:16.070 NATO allies and partner nations stand ready to continue to train 04:16.070 --> 04:20.450 advise and assist the Afghan national security forces after 2004 team. 04:21.080 --> 04:24.210 Their mission will be based on the sound legal footing provided 04:24.210 --> 04:27.570 by the U.S. Afghanistan bilateral security agreement and the 04:27.570 --> 04:30.920 NATO Afghanistan status of forces agreement which we hope will 04:30.920 --> 04:32.140 be concluded soon. 04:32.890 --> 04:35.850 The proposed plan announced that the recent summit in Wales is 04:35.850 --> 04:38.740 for the new NATO mission to be conducted in full partnership 04:38.740 --> 04:42.150 with the government at of Afghanistan in the coming months. 04:42.180 --> 04:45.270 We hope to work with the members of the security council to develop 04:45.270 --> 04:49.020 a resolution welcoming the government of Afghanistan's decisions 04:49.240 --> 04:50.080 on this agreement. 04:51.220 --> 04:54.790 Not long ago an election in Afghanistan would it itself have 04:54.790 --> 04:58.940 been unthinkable to day asik cyril girl. Can insists their father 04:58.940 --> 05:01.300 taker along when he casts his bow. 05:02.200 --> 05:05.420 Actually give us all hope for Afghanistan's future. And it's 05:05.420 --> 05:08.790 it inspire the country's leaders to reach a political compromise 05:09.060 --> 05:13.690 helping ensure that one day after all can caster on ballot. Thank you..