Karzai accepts second round election
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Afghan president Hamid Karzai whose staying in power for second term is at stake said Tuesday he accepts any decision announced by the country's election body.
"The decision announced by Independent Election Commission (IEC) today in a statement is a legal step and we support it," Karzai told at a joint press conference with John Kerry the chairman of Senate Foreign Relation Committee of the United States and UN special envoy Kai Eide.
In the IEC's statement, Karzai confirmed that the second round of voting will be held on November 7.
"This is a step towards democracy and prosperity in Afghanistan and the people of Afghanistan once again will go to elect the country's president," Karzai further said.
He also said that runners in the runoff are himself and his top challenger Abdullah Abdullah.
Afghanistan's second presidential election in the post-Taliban Taliban country was held on Aug. 20 amid widespread fraud, alleged by Karzai's opponents.
In the preliminary results announced by IEC in mid September Karzai had secured more than 54 percent of over 5.5 million voters and his rival won 28 percent.
However, the UN-backed election monitoring body, Election Complaint Commission (ECC), in its ruling on Monday invalidated 210 polling stations which lowered Karzai's vote below 50 percent and made second round necessary.
Karzai's announcement to accept the verdict and go for second round took place in the wake of intense talks between him and Senator John Kerry.
Earlier, Karzai's top challenger Abdullah ruled out the possibility of making coalition and stressed for runoff.
John Kerry, who also met Abdullah, in his talks at the press conference lauded Afghans for using their franchise in August 20 presidential elections amid security threat and said those scarified their lives have contributed to strengthening democracy in the country.
The US senator also appreciated that the agreement is an important step towards building democracy, adding NATO and the international community would make all efforts to make the runoff succeed.
