VZCZCXRO4796
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHNO #0461 2931511
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201511Z OCT 09 ZDK
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 1266
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3497
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 0001
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0695
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0849
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 6532
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0682
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 0475
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1006
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0098
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1067
RHCUAAA/USTRANSCOM SCOTT AFB IL PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USNMR SHAPE BE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS USNATO 000461 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS MARR NATO AF
SUBJECT: NATO SYG WELCOMES AFGHAN ELECTION DECISION 
 
¶1. (U) On October 20, NATO Secretary General Rasmussen issued 
a statement welcoming the decision to hold a second round of 
elections in Afghanistan.  He said the decision showed 
respect for the democratic process and institutions in 
Afghanistan.  He indicated his hope that the second round 
would achieve higher standards than had been in evidence for 
the first round, stressing that this was needed for the 
legitimacy of the government.  He urged all Afghans to 
exercise their right to vote, noting that NATO forces would 
work with Afghan security forces to ensure the security of 
the elections. 
 
¶2. (U) The full text of the Secretary General's statement 
follows: 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
20 Oct. 2009 
 
Press Release: (2009) 151 
 
Statement by the Secretary General on the Afghan elections 
 
The decision to hold a second round of elections shows 
respect for the democratic process and institutions in 
Afghanistan, and I welcome that.  The necessary steps must be 
taken to ensure that the conduct of the next round of voting 
achieves a higher standard than we saw in the first round, so 
that the Government that results from this process has 
legitimacy in the eyes of the Afghan people. 
 
I urge all Afghans to exercise their hard-won democratic 
right to vote, despite threats or intimidation by the enemies 
of the country.  NATO has the forces in place to help ensure 
security for the next round of elections, in support of 
Afghan security forces. 
 
END TEXT 
DAALDER