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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">November 3, 2004 <i>(3:10 p.m. EST)</i> No. 125</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA CONGRATULATES HAMID KARZAI ON HISTORIC<br>
ELECTION VICTORY IN AFGHANISTAN</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today offered his best wishes to the newly
elected President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, on the outcome of Afghanistan’s
first-ever direct presidential election.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to
President Karzai, the Afghanistan Transitional Authority and all of the Afghan people on
the result of this historic vote,” said Minister Pettigrew. “With participation by an
impressive 70 percent of over 10 million registered voters, Afghans have demonstrated
their determination to turn away from over 20 years of civil war and participate directly in
the building of a democratic Afghanistan.”</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">President Karzai won with 55.4 percent of the popular vote. Over 70 percent of
registered voters participated in the presidential election; 41 percent of the voters were
women.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The election was declared valid by a three-person panel of the joint Afghan-United
Nations Electoral Management Body. The panel consisted of one member from
Canada, one from Sweden and one from the U.K.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canadians have contributed to this process from the outset and will continue to work
with the government and the people of Afghanistan to build a democratic, stable and
peaceful country. The next step in Afghanistan’s democratic transition will be
parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place in the spring of 2005.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Government of Canada has contributed close to $24 million to the democratic
process in Afghanistan. Canada also funded the participation of two Canadians in the
Election Support Team of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In
addition, approximately 700 Canadian troops are currently in Kabul as part of the
International Security Assistance Force, ensuring security in the capital city.</span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Sébastien Théberge<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs<br>
(613) 995-1851</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"> Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071126050029/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
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