Cablegate: Netherlands/Afghanistan: Karzai Candidacy And

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001901

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AF NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AFGHANISTAN: KARZAI CANDIDACY AND
VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

REF: STATE 162903

1. Poloff delivered reftel message to MFA's head of South
Asia Division Wilfred Mohr July 28. Mohr stated that the
Dutch Ambassador in Afghanistan will soon call on Karzai to
present his credentials, at which point he will also express
GoNL support for reform and stability in Afghanistan. He
said that GoNL would also have opportunities by Fall to
convey Dutch/EU support to Russian and Iranian governments.
The Dutch EU Presidency released a statement July 27
expressing full support for the democratic process.
Statement follows.

2. Begin statement.

Yesterday, the 26th of July, was the last day for
Presidential candidates in Afghanistan to present their
nominations to the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) for
the elections on 9 October 2004. The JEMB is expected to
publish a full list of candidates on 29 July.

The Presidency of the EU welcomes the fact that an
encouraging number of candidates have put forward their
candidacy. This is an important landmark on the path towards
democracy. The Presidency of the EU looks forward to the
elections and hopes that the electoral campaigning and the
elections themselves will take place in an atmosphere of calm
and non-violence, and expects that they will take place with
full respect for political freedoms.

Around 8 million Afghan voters have registered to exercise
their democratic right to vote for a President for the first
time in their country's history. The Presidency of the EU
welcomes the fact that, among those registered voters, a
promising 41% are women.

The Presidency of the EU wishes to reiterate its full support
to the Afghan authorities in enhancing the democratic process
in order to make free and fair elections possible.

End statement.
MINIMIZED CONSIDERED
SOBEL

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