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While Britain awaited Wednesday the official result of the US presidential election, Prime Minister Tony Blair poked fun at the delay by pausing in parliament as he congratulated Hamid Karzai, the newly-elected president of Afghanistan.

"I'm sure the whole house will join with me in sending my warmest congratulations to president...Karzai of Afghanistan," Blair said, pausing long enough mid-sentence to prompt a round of laughter in the House of Commons.

After a few moments pause, Blair continued more seriously.

"Like everyone else, I await the outcome of the other (US) presidential election with interest," he said during his weekly parliamentary question period.

Less than an hour earlier, White House chief of staff Andy Card had announced that President George W. Bush had won a decisive reelection.

Democratic rival John Kerry has refused to concede defeat, pinning his hopes on an estimated 200 000 uncounted provisional ballots in the key swing state of Ohio, where Bush leads by about 136 000 votes.

Conclusive decision - Prescott

Earlier on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said that the US electorate appeared to have made a conclusive decision to elect Bush president for a second time.

"They have made a decisive decision, it seems, this time," Prescott told BBC radio as commentators handed a victory to Bush. He was speaking before an official result in Ohio which could theoretically swing the result the other way if it were to go to Kerry.

While Britain's politicians refused to be drawn on the result, the city reacted positively to the likelihood of a Bush victory, the FTSE 100 index climbing 0.38 percent to 4711.10 points by early afternoon in London.

Digby Jones, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), called on Bush to move the US away from protectionism and do more to promote free trade and a cleaner environment.

Overnight betting on Kerry

Leading bookmakers Ladbrokes said on Wednesday there had been a rush of betting by British punters on Kerry overnight on Tuesday as internet exit polls predicted victory for the Democrat.

But US television network projections early on Wednesday gave Bush 28 states with 254 electoral votes, just short of the 270 needed to win, with Kerry dwindling with 242 electoral votes in 18 states.

Britons have staked more than their feelings on this year's US race.

Some eight million pounds have been placed in bets with British betting shops on both Kerry and Bush, double the amount wagered in the last election, according to bookmakers.

AFP