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Bush, Rice Congratulate Afghanistan on Successful Elections

19 September 2005

Elections are "major step forward" in country's democratic development

President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice send their congratulations to the government and people of Afghanistan for their successful parliamentary elections September 18.

The elections "are a major step forward in Afghanistan's development as a democratic state governed by the rule of law," Bush said in a statement issued by the White House the same day.

In a separate statement issued by the Department of State September 19, Rice said the Afghan people, by participating in the elections, "demonstrated their commitment to build a free country with national democratic institutions and an improving quality of life."

"The United States is firmly committed to help Afghans build a free, secure and prosperous future and applauds the Afghan people as they advance further on their democratic journey," she said.

For more information, see Democratic Afghanistan.

Following are the texts of Bush's and Rice's statements:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 18, 2005

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

I congratulate the Afghan people and Afghan Government for today's successful parliamentary elections, which are a major step forward in Afghanistan's development as a democratic state governed by the rule of law. Braving deadly attacks and threats of violence, Afghans voted in large numbers for representatives to their new National Assembly and Provincial Councils. We commend the tremendous progress that the Afghan people have made in recent years, and we pledge the full support of the United States as Afghanistan acts to meet the new challenges ahead.

(end text)

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(New York, New York)
September 19, 2005

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE

Elections in Afghanistan

I want to congratulate the Afghan government and people for the successful Parliamentary and provincial elections.  The elections are further evidence of Afghanistan's continuing democratic development.  The extremist elements that once again attempted to disrupt the electoral process have failed, and the Afghan people, as they courageously made their ways to the polls, demonstrated their determination to proceed down a democratic path.

Over the past four years, Afghans have worked hard to transform their country into a new democracy.  Last October, in the face of threats and attacks by extremist militants, they voted in the country's first-ever presidential election.  Today, less than a year later, the Afghans again demonstrated their commitment to build a free country with national democratic institutions and an improving quality of life.  We anticipate the final results will fairly express their wishes.

The results of these elections will lead to the seating of Afghanistan's National Assembly, the final step in the process begun four years ago with the assistance of the international community to create the democratic institutions of a sovereign Afghanistan.  The United States is firmly committed to help Afghans build a free, secure and prosperous future and applauds the Afghan people as they advance further on their democratic journey.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)