Afghanistan set Nov. 07 for run-off election

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai agreed Tuesday to submit to a run-off election on Nov. 7 after Afghanistan's election commission ordered a second-round vote.

The run-off, between Mr. Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, was announced today, after the UN-backed panel investigating claims of fraud submitted its findings to the country’s top electoral authority.

Yesterday the Electoral Complaints Commission, which was tasked with auditing suspicious ballot boxes and other complaints related to the 20 August elections, submitted its findings to the Independent Election Commission (IEC), which organized the polls.

Based on its findings, the ECC ordered the IEC to invalidate 210 polling stations around the country where the panel found clear and convincing evidence of fraud.

The election commission acted after a fraud investigation dropped Karzai's votes to below 50% of the total.

The announcement came two months to the day after the first-round vote and follows weeks of political uncertainty at a time when Taliban strength is growing.

Karzai said final results showing the need for a runoff were "legitimate, legal and according to the constitution of Afghanistan."

Subsequently, US President Obama said he called Karzai to thank him for agreeing to a new vote. "As we all know, this has been a very difficult time in Afghanistan," Obama said, adding that the decision to conduct a runoff is "a reflection of a commitment to the rule of law and an insistence that the Afghan people's will should be done."

The Afghan leader spoke at a press conference in Kabul alongside U.S. Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the head of the U.N. in Afghanistan, Kai Eide — a sign of the intense international pressure which preceded the announcement.

"The future of Afghanistan will ultimately be determined by Afghans civilians and through good governance — not soldiers or the international community," Kerry said, complimenting Karzai for his openness to finding ways to resolving differences. "If this is to be a real turning point, we must strengthen the capacity of the government at every level to provide for its citizens."

In the meantime, Hillary Rodham Clinton US Secretary of State in her statement said “I welcome President Karzai's announcement that he accepts the recommendations of the Electoral Complaints Commission and the Independent Election Commission’s statement on the August 20 first round election results. The leadership shown by the President, Dr. Abdullah and all of the other candidates has strengthened Afghanistan and kept faith with the best interests of the Afghan people.

Afghan plans are in place to enable a second round of voting, and we pledge our support to the election authorities to help them achieve a conclusion to the elections process. We remain committed to partnering with the Afghan people and their government on our shared objectives of strengthening good governance, tackling corruption, increasing economic opportunities and improving security for all Afghans.”

Also UN Secretary General General Ban Ki-moon today pledged the full support of the United Nations to ensure that Afghanistan’s presidential election run-off is as credible as possible and welcomed President Hamid Karzai’s acceptance of a second round of voting.

“The United Nations will do its utmost for the conduct of the second round of elections scheduled for 7 November 2009 in a free, fair, transparent and secure environment,” Mr. Ban told reporters in New York.

Mr. Ban welcomed the statement made today by Mr. Karzai, who “has made it clear that the constitutional process must be fully respected…

“I commend President Karzai for the leadership he has displayed and for his commitment to ensuring full respect for Afghanistan’s Constitution and its democratic processes,” he stated.

The Secretary-General also commended Mr. Abdullah for his “dignified approach to the campaign as well as to the difficult post-election period.”

Speaking in Kabul today, Mr. Ban’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Kai Eide paid tribute to the Afghan institutions involved in the electoral process, noting that they have played a key role during the past couple of months.

“In a country in conflict and a country which is a young democracy it is of particular importance that institutions that underpin that democracy work and work solidly,” he said.

“I look forward to a dignified campaign over the next two weeks between the two candidates and a fair end result to this long election process,” added Mr. Eide.

- Asian Tribune -