US President George W Bush on Wednesday embraced Pakistan's elections as "a significant victory" for democracy, and said that he hoped the new government would "be friends of the United States." "It's now time for the newly elected folks to show up and form their government. And the question then is: 'will they be friends of the United States?' and I certainly hope so," he said.
He declined to discuss the political fate of President Pervez Musharraf amid stepped up calls following the opposition's sweeping victory for the staunch US ally's resignation. "We view Pakistan as an important ally. We've got common interests. We've got interests in dealing with radicals who killed Benazir Bhutto. We've got interests in helping make sure there's no safe haven so those people can plot and plan attacks on the United States of America and Pakistan," President Bush said.
"I appreciate the fact that President Musharraf has done exactly that which he said he was going to do. He said he would hold elections; he said he would get rid of his emergency law," Bush added. "There was a victory for the people of Pakistan, and that is, there were elections held that have been judged as being fair. And the people have spoken. I view that as a significant victory."
"I view it as a part of the victory in the war on terror. After all, ideologues can't stand--like these guys we're dealing with--can't stand free societies, that's why they try to kill innocent people; that's why they tried to intimidate people during the election process," President Bush said.