Iraq Election from Around the World

French President Jacques Chirac spoke with President Bush by telephone, saying he was satisfied by the "participation rate and the good technical organization."
"These elections mark an important step in the political reconstruction of Iraq. The strategy of terrorist groups has partly failed," Chirac said, according to a French presidential spokesman.
[...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin also praised the elections, calling them "a step in the right direction and a positive event," according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.
"The conditions for holding the elections were quite difficult, to put it mildly," Putin said after meeting in the Kremlin with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. "At the same time, I must say that the very fact of it is an important event, maybe a historic event, for the Iraqi people because it is undoubtedly a step toward democratization of the country."
[...]
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the successful election was a psychological blow to insurgents because it demonstrated that Iraqis were committed to democracy. Britain has been Washington's chief ally in the Iraq war.
"Yesterday's elections represent a real blow to this disgusting campaign of violence and intimidation," said Straw, who also recognized Iraqi security forces for helping police the election.
[...]
In Brussels, the European Union's foreign policy chief said Iraq's move toward democracy would pay off in the provision of more aid.
"They are going to find the support of the European Union, no doubt about that, in order to see this process move on in the right direction," Javier Solana told The Associated Press.
[...]
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer praised Iraqis "for the will they have shown to shape the future of their country peacefully and democratically, despite massive intimidation."
But, he added, "it is of decisive importance in this to integrate all political, ethnic and religious groups in Iraq ... no part of the population must be excluded from shaping the common fate of all Iraqis."

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Notice the comments from Russia, Germany, and France - amazingly these there major opponents to US actions in Iraq show optimism about the election, maybe Kennedy, Kerry, and other democrats will come around some day... Oh yeh, I forgot, Kerry is "in touch with the feelings of foreign governments" - maybe he should have called them before going on Meet the Press and saying, "No one in the United States should try to overhype this election", and don't get me started tonight on Ted Kennedy.