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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Karzai poll victory 'is illegal' | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has said Hamid Karzai's re-election is illegal. | Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has said Hamid Karzai's re-election is illegal. |
| Dr Abdullah was speaking publicly for the first time since Mr Karzai was declared the victor on Monday. | Dr Abdullah was speaking publicly for the first time since Mr Karzai was declared the victor on Monday. |
| He told reporters in Kabul that Mr Karzai's government would lack the legitimacy needed to deal with problems like corruption and terrorism. | He told reporters in Kabul that Mr Karzai's government would lack the legitimacy needed to deal with problems like corruption and terrorism. |
| Mr Karzai was declared the winner after Dr Abdullah withdrew on Sunday saying the vote could not be free or fair. | |
| "This decision [of the Afghan Independent Election Commission not to have a run-off] does not have a legal basis," Dr Abdullah told reporters. | "This decision [of the Afghan Independent Election Commission not to have a run-off] does not have a legal basis," Dr Abdullah told reporters. |
| "Such a government which lacks legitimacy cannot fight corruption. | "Such a government which lacks legitimacy cannot fight corruption. |
| "A government which comes to power without the people's support cannot fight the phenomena of terrorism threats, unemployment, poverty and hundreds of other problems," Dr Abdullah said. | "A government which comes to power without the people's support cannot fight the phenomena of terrorism threats, unemployment, poverty and hundreds of other problems," Dr Abdullah said. |
| 'Puppet' | 'Puppet' |
| His comments were in response to President Karzai's statement on Tuesday vowing to remove the "stigma" of corruption. | His comments were in response to President Karzai's statement on Tuesday vowing to remove the "stigma" of corruption. |
| The president also pledged to lead an inclusive government and called on "Taliban brothers" who have been fighting an insurgency against him to "embrace their land". | The president also pledged to lead an inclusive government and called on "Taliban brothers" who have been fighting an insurgency against him to "embrace their land". |
| The Taliban said they would continue their fight and called Mr Karzai "a puppet". | The Taliban said they would continue their fight and called Mr Karzai "a puppet". |
| The president's comments came a day after poll officials scrapped a run-off vote that had been planned for this weekend. | The president's comments came a day after poll officials scrapped a run-off vote that had been planned for this weekend. |
| Mr Karzai agreed to the second round after hundreds of thousands of votes were discounted from the 20 August first round because of widespread fraud. | Mr Karzai agreed to the second round after hundreds of thousands of votes were discounted from the 20 August first round because of widespread fraud. |
| After an investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), Mr Karzai's share of the vote dropped to 49.67% - below the crucial 50% plus one vote threshold needed to avoid a run-off. | After an investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), Mr Karzai's share of the vote dropped to 49.67% - below the crucial 50% plus one vote threshold needed to avoid a run-off. |