"The initial reaction is one of believing in the Iraqi people's reaction as being the official testament" to the legitimacy of the change of regime, foreign office spokesman Omar Samad told AFP.

"If the overwhelming majority of the Iraqi people are satisfied and happy with the changes, we are happy for them."

Like Iraq's Saddam, Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers were toppled by a US-led coalition.

"We pray to God that the people of Iraq will be given the opportunity to construct a government of their own choosing and be helped by the international community and that Iraq will once again be a proud and viable member of the international community and no threat to the international community and no threat to its neighbours," he said.

While Washington plans to install former US general Jay Garner as interim administrator in Iraq, Afghanistan's emergency post-Taliban government was chosen in Bonn by Afghans and composed of Afghans.

US troops remain in Afghanistan but are there to hunt down Taliban and al-Qaeda remnants while an international peacekeeping force is responsible for security in the capital Kabul.

Afghanistan hoped that "the full rights of all the Iraqi people will be restored" after decades of dictatorship, Samad said.

It also hoped ongoing fighting would end soon with minimal casualties, he said.

"We wish the best for the Iraqi people in the future," he said.

SPACE.WIRE