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Karzai declared elected president Karzai declared elected president
(41 minutes later)
Hamid Karzai has been declared the elected president of Afghanistan by poll officials, after they scrapped the planned second round of the vote. Hamid Karzai has been declared president of Afghanistan, after election officials scrapped a planned second round of voting.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) announcement comes a day after Mr Karzai's sole challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, pulled out of the race. The announcement comes a day after Mr Karzai's sole challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, pulled out of the race.
Dr Abdullah, who had demanded the removal of key poll officials, said the poll would not have been free or fair. Dr Abdullah, who had demanded the removal of key poll officials, said the vote would not have been fair. The first round had been marred by fraud.
The first round of the vote, in August, was marred by mass electoral fraud. Key Nato allies of Afghanistan have congratulated Mr Karzai.
On Monday IEC spokesman Azizullah Lodin said President Karzai, as "the only candidate for the second round", should "be declared as elected president of Afghanistan". On Monday a spokesman for the Independent Election Commission (IEC), Azizullah Lodin, declared that President Karzai, "the only candidate for the second round", had been "elected president of Afghanistan".
ANALYSIS Andrew North, BBC News, KabulANALYSIS Andrew North, BBC News, Kabul
The announcement that the run-off vote was being cancelled had been widely expected. All reports suggested it was simply a question of finding the legal means to bring the process to an end.The announcement that the run-off vote was being cancelled had been widely expected. All reports suggested it was simply a question of finding the legal means to bring the process to an end.
The point of holding a second round was to try to restore some legitimacy to the process after there was so much fraud - almost a third of votes for President Karzai were invalidated because of massive ballot stuffing.The point of holding a second round was to try to restore some legitimacy to the process after there was so much fraud - almost a third of votes for President Karzai were invalidated because of massive ballot stuffing.
Now the second round has been cancelled, largely because of international pressure. It is a very unsatisfactory end, not the end anyone here wished for. At the moment it is being seen as the best of a lot of bad options.Now the second round has been cancelled, largely because of international pressure. It is a very unsatisfactory end, not the end anyone here wished for. At the moment it is being seen as the best of a lot of bad options.
But some questions are bound to remain over the legitimacy of the whole process.But some questions are bound to remain over the legitimacy of the whole process.
He said the second round on 7 November was being scrapped to save money, for security reasons and to prevent further setbacks that could damage Afghanistan politically and economically.He said the second round on 7 November was being scrapped to save money, for security reasons and to prevent further setbacks that could damage Afghanistan politically and economically.
The Taliban, which carried out attacks across the country during the first round, had vowed to disrupt the polls again next Saturday.The Taliban, which carried out attacks across the country during the first round, had vowed to disrupt the polls again next Saturday.
The UK welcomed the commission's decision.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the PM had "spoken to President Karzai to congratulate him on his re-election" and the two men had "discussed the importance of the president moving quickly to set out a unifying programme for the future of Afghanistan".
President Karzai had been the favourite to win the run-off after gaining more votes in the first round on 20 August.President Karzai had been the favourite to win the run-off after gaining more votes in the first round on 20 August.
One of the reasons for holding a deciding vote had been to try to restore some legitimacy to the process after the discredited first round.One of the reasons for holding a deciding vote had been to try to restore some legitimacy to the process after the discredited first round.
A number of international figures, including US Senator John Kerry, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Mr Brown, had been involved in persuading Mr Karzai to accept a run-off. A number of international figures, including US Senator John Kerry, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, had been involved in persuading Mr Karzai to accept a run-off.
class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8337683.stm">'Not what we wanted' 'Historic' election
However Mr Brown welcomed the commission's decision.
The Independent Election Commission announces Mr Karzai's election
A spokesman said the PM had "spoken to President Karzai to congratulate him on his re-election" and the two men had "discussed the importance of the president moving quickly to set out a unifying programme for the future of Afghanistan".
The US administration, though its embassy in Kabul, also hailed the commission's move which it said conformed to "its mandate under Afghan law".
The statement added: "We congratulate President Karzai on his victory in this historic election and look forward to working with him."
But Dr Abdullah had demanded key officials be removed from the IEC, which is widely regarded as pro-Karzai.But Dr Abdullah had demanded key officials be removed from the IEC, which is widely regarded as pro-Karzai.
'Not what we wanted'
Earlier on Monday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Kabul and said Afghanistan's troubled election had been among "the most difficult the United Nations has ever supported".Earlier on Monday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Kabul and said Afghanistan's troubled election had been among "the most difficult the United Nations has ever supported".
The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Kabul says there has been intense discussion in recent days as to whether scrapping the second round would be constitutionally legal.The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Kabul says there has been intense discussion in recent days as to whether scrapping the second round would be constitutionally legal.
Some observers are saying Mr Karzai's legitimacy is also in question, and ask whether his government can be effective, adds our correspondent.Some observers are saying Mr Karzai's legitimacy is also in question, and ask whether his government can be effective, adds our correspondent.
This would be a particular concern to US President Barack Obama as he considers whether to send up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan.This would be a particular concern to US President Barack Obama as he considers whether to send up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan.
Hundreds of thousands of votes were discounted from August's vote, including almost a third of ballots cast for Mr Karzai. Hundreds of thousands of votes were discounted from August's first round, including almost a third of ballots cast for Mr Karzai.
The incumbent's share of the vote was cut to just under the crucial 50% plus one ballot threshold needed for outright victory, following an investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission.The incumbent's share of the vote was cut to just under the crucial 50% plus one ballot threshold needed for outright victory, following an investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission.
Dr Abdullah - a Tajik-Pashtun former eye surgeon and ex-foreign minister - was adjudged in the end to have won nearly a third of valid votes cast.Dr Abdullah - a Tajik-Pashtun former eye surgeon and ex-foreign minister - was adjudged in the end to have won nearly a third of valid votes cast.