Ottawa – The Embassy of Afghanistan in Canada is dismayed by disparaging and unfounded
remarks made Monday, May 29, by Hon. Senator Peter A. Stollery, about the democratically
elected President of Afghanistan.

“As my country’s envoy, I strongly object to the irresponsible remarks made by Senator
Stollery about the democratically-elected President of Afghanistan during a Senate
Committee debate Monday,” said Ambassador Omar Samad.

He added, “the Senator is entitled to his views about Canada’s policy or role in my part
of the world, but his utter disrespect for Afghanistan’s young democratic process, and
his serious lack of knowledge about Afghanistan’s history and recent developments,
including the holding of free and fair elections, is a cause for concern.”

According to the Afghan Constitution, free and fair elections were held in October 2004,
as a result of which, President Hamed Karzai was elected to a five-year term to office.
More than 70% of eligible voters took part in the election process contested by 18
candidates. The elections were supported and monitored by the international community,
including the United Nations, the OSCE, the EU, and Canada.

Afghan delegates to the UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in December 2001 selected Mr.
Karzai as their designated representative and interim leader of the Transitional
Administration. The Afghan Loya Jirga (grand assembly) of 2002 subsequently endorsed the
Transitional Administration under Mr. Karzai until a new Constitution was adopted, and
democratic elections were held.

Ambassador Samad said, “Afghanistan is a young and struggling democracy, proud to have
an elected leader and an elected Parliament today. We appreciate the help that many
countries, including Canada, continue to provide to stabilize the security situation and
rebuild the Afghan people’s lives, but Afghans, as shown by History, are not “stooges,”
and Sen. Stollery - whatever his political motivation and his source of information
about Afghanistan - should recant.”

Embassy of Afghanistan
May 30, 2006