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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Afghan election goes to run-off | Afghan election goes to run-off |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Afghanistan will hold a deciding round of its problem-hit presidential poll on 7 November, pitting Hamid Karzai against his rival Abdullah Abdullah. | Afghanistan will hold a deciding round of its problem-hit presidential poll on 7 November, pitting Hamid Karzai against his rival Abdullah Abdullah. |
| News of the run-off vote follows weeks of mounting international pressure. | News of the run-off vote follows weeks of mounting international pressure. |
| It comes a day after a UN-backed panel said it had clear evidence of fraud in August's first round, lowering Mr Karzai's vote share below 50%. | It comes a day after a UN-backed panel said it had clear evidence of fraud in August's first round, lowering Mr Karzai's vote share below 50%. |
| Mr Karzai told a news conference that he accepted the findings, adding they were a "step forward" for democracy. | Mr Karzai told a news conference that he accepted the findings, adding they were a "step forward" for democracy. |
| Initial results suggested Mr Karzai, the incumbent, had received 55% of the vote, and ex-Foreign Minister Mr Abdullah 28%. | Initial results suggested Mr Karzai, the incumbent, had received 55% of the vote, and ex-Foreign Minister Mr Abdullah 28%. |
| But the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) ordered that ballots from 210 polling stations be discounted. | |
| This meant Mr Karzai's total was reduced to below the 50% plus one vote threshold for outright victory, indicating a second round was needed. | |
| 'Genuine leadership' | 'Genuine leadership' |
| Since the disputed first round of polling, there has been intensive Western lobbying of Afghanistan's leaders to resolve the weeks of political paralysis. | Since the disputed first round of polling, there has been intensive Western lobbying of Afghanistan's leaders to resolve the weeks of political paralysis. |
| The White House - debating a request for 40,000 more US troops to be sent to Afghanistan - warned at the weekend no more soldiers would be deployed until a political resolution was reached. | The White House - debating a request for 40,000 more US troops to be sent to Afghanistan - warned at the weekend no more soldiers would be deployed until a political resolution was reached. |
| Correspondents say it was therefore not surprising to see Mr Karzai give his reaction to the run-off, at a news conference alongside UN envoy Kai Eide and US Senator John Kerry. | Correspondents say it was therefore not surprising to see Mr Karzai give his reaction to the run-off, at a news conference alongside UN envoy Kai Eide and US Senator John Kerry. |
| "This is not the right time to discuss investigations, this is the time to move forward to stability and national unity," Mr Karzai said. | "This is not the right time to discuss investigations, this is the time to move forward to stability and national unity," Mr Karzai said. |
| "I call upon our nation to change this into an opportunity to strengthen our resolve and determination, to move our country forward and to participate in the new round of elections." | "I call upon our nation to change this into an opportunity to strengthen our resolve and determination, to move our country forward and to participate in the new round of elections." |
| The BBC's Martin Patience, in Kabul, says there will be concerns about the logistics of a second vote - about getting ballots out into the provinces and also about the security situation. | The BBC's Martin Patience, in Kabul, says there will be concerns about the logistics of a second vote - about getting ballots out into the provinces and also about the security situation. |
| There will also be absolutely no guarantee that any new vote will be free of the fraud that dogged the first round, our correspondent says. | There will also be absolutely no guarantee that any new vote will be free of the fraud that dogged the first round, our correspondent says. |
| But for now the political deadlock appears to have been broken, for a couple of weeks at least. | But for now the political deadlock appears to have been broken, for a couple of weeks at least. |
| 'Statesmanlike' | 'Statesmanlike' |
| US President Barack Obama welcomed Mr Karzai's statement, describing it as an important and constructive step forward. | US President Barack Obama welcomed Mr Karzai's statement, describing it as an important and constructive step forward. |
| "It is now vital that all elements of Afghan society continue to come together to advance democracy, peace and justice," he added. | "It is now vital that all elements of Afghan society continue to come together to advance democracy, peace and justice," he added. |
| US officials later said that the president had not yet determined whether to make a decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan before the runoff. | US officials later said that the president had not yet determined whether to make a decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan before the runoff. |
| Sen Kerry said a second round of voting was a great opportunity and a turning point, praising Mr Karzai for the "genuine leadership in the decision he has made". | Sen Kerry said a second round of voting was a great opportunity and a turning point, praising Mr Karzai for the "genuine leadership in the decision he has made". |
| UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown also welcomed President Hamid Karzai's "statesmanlike" acceptance of the run-off. | UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown also welcomed President Hamid Karzai's "statesmanlike" acceptance of the run-off. |