04 November 2004
Bush Congratulates Hamid Karzai on Electoral Victory
President commends Afghan voters' commitment to democracy
President Bush sent his congratulations to Afghan President Hamid Karzai after the Joint Electoral Management Board certified Karzai the winner of Afghanistan's October 9 presidential election.
Bush also paid tribute to all of the Afghan citizens who turned out to vote in the country's first direct, democratic presidential election. "Through this simple act of voting, the Afghan people declared to the world their determination to move beyond a brutal legacy of oppression, terror, and fear to a future of hope, democracy, and freedom," Bush said in a November 4 statement.
Bush noted the high turnout of women voters and said that this confirms the role of women in the country's political process. Women make up 40 percent of Afghanistan's registered voters.
The president also praised the example that Afghanistan has set for other countries working toward greater freedom and democracy.
Following is the text of Bush's statement:
(begin text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
November 4, 2004
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
I congratulate President Karzai on his election victory. I commend the millions of Afghan men and women who voted in the first democratic election in their nation's history. Through this simple act of voting, the Afghan people declared to the world their determination to move beyond a brutal legacy of oppression, terror, and fear to a future of hope, democracy, and freedom. The large turnout by Afghan women, who made up 40 percent of all voters, confirms that there is a vital role for women in the politics of a nation proud of its Islamic heritage. The election also makes clear that a free Afghanistan is a partner in the war on terror, a beacon of hope in a troubled region of the world, and an example to other countries working to realize the promise of freedom.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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