Madam Speaker, Pachtoun Hamid Karzai was yesterday elected president by the Loya Jorga, and will thus head the transition authority to govern Afghanistan for the next two years. The Loya Jirga is a traditional grand council, and has the task of redefining the political system of Afghanistan.
One of the surprise elements in this election was the candidacy of Massouda Jalal, the first woman candidate for the post of head of state in the history of Afghanistan.
The Bloc Quebecois wishes to extend its warmest greetings and admiration to all of the delegates to the Loya Jirga, the people of Afghanistan and their new head of state.
This is an historic moment for Afghanistan; the international community has a duty to clearly demonstrate its support as the delegates to the Loya Jirga work to reach agreement on the way the transitional government will operate. In the words of the new head of state, “we must not let this opportunity slip by”.