US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE1901

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