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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Concern at Karzai poll power grab | Concern at Karzai poll power grab |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Western diplomats have expressed deep concern at a decree from Afghan President Hamid Karzai giving him total control over a key election body. | Western diplomats have expressed deep concern at a decree from Afghan President Hamid Karzai giving him total control over a key election body. |
| The move gives him the power to appoint all five members of Afghanistan's Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). | The move gives him the power to appoint all five members of Afghanistan's Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). |
| The body helped expose massive fraud in last year's presidential poll, forcing Mr Karzai into a second vote. | The body helped expose massive fraud in last year's presidential poll, forcing Mr Karzai into a second vote. |
| The decree comes as Nato-led forces fight a major operation against the Taliban in central Helmand province. | The decree comes as Nato-led forces fight a major operation against the Taliban in central Helmand province. |
| The BBC has been told the outgoing UN representative to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, had struck a private deal that two of the five commission members would be foreigners. | The BBC has been told the outgoing UN representative to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, had struck a private deal that two of the five commission members would be foreigners. |
| Under that agreement, one of the appointees was expected to have veto power. | Under that agreement, one of the appointees was expected to have veto power. |
| But the deal does not feature in the new decree. | But the deal does not feature in the new decree. |
| Devil in detail | Devil in detail |
| The commission - which previously had three foreign experts appointed by the United Nations - will play a vital role in this year's parliamentary poll. | The commission - which previously had three foreign experts appointed by the United Nations - will play a vital role in this year's parliamentary poll. |
| The BBC's Chris Morris in Kabul says one Western official questioned if the international community would be willing to underwrite the costs of another election, which could be deeply flawed. | |
| But another was less gloomy, telling our correspondent the decree was not necessarily a total disaster, and that the devil would be in the detail. | But another was less gloomy, telling our correspondent the decree was not necessarily a total disaster, and that the devil would be in the detail. |
| In a speech to parliament on the first day of its spring session on Saturday, President Karzai listed his priorities, which included reforming the ECC's structure. | In a speech to parliament on the first day of its spring session on Saturday, President Karzai listed his priorities, which included reforming the ECC's structure. |
| He reportedly said that in preparation for this year's parliamentary elections, he would limit "interference from others" by "Afghanising" the poll process. | He reportedly said that in preparation for this year's parliamentary elections, he would limit "interference from others" by "Afghanising" the poll process. |
| Mr Karzai was eventually declared the winner of last August's presidential election after a months-long fraud investigation which paralysed the country and delayed Nato members sending more troops to combat the insurgency. | Mr Karzai was eventually declared the winner of last August's presidential election after a months-long fraud investigation which paralysed the country and delayed Nato members sending more troops to combat the insurgency. |
| The ECC Canadian chairman and his two non-Afghan colleagues had led demands for the ballot-stuffing investigation. | The ECC Canadian chairman and his two non-Afghan colleagues had led demands for the ballot-stuffing investigation. |
| After the watchdog discounted nearly one million of votes for Mr Karzai, he agreed to a run-off. | After the watchdog discounted nearly one million of votes for Mr Karzai, he agreed to a run-off. |
| But days before the vote in early November, it was scrapped, with officials citing a need to avert further political damage to Afghanistan and a rerun of the Taliban violence that marred the first round. | But days before the vote in early November, it was scrapped, with officials citing a need to avert further political damage to Afghanistan and a rerun of the Taliban violence that marred the first round. |
| Mr Karzai's only rival, Abdullah Abdullah, had earlier pulled out of the runoff, saying that it would not be free or fair. | Mr Karzai's only rival, Abdullah Abdullah, had earlier pulled out of the runoff, saying that it would not be free or fair. |
| There was more violence on Tuesday as at least seven people were killed by a bomb left on a bicycle near a bus station in the Helmand province capital of Lashkar Gah. | There was more violence on Tuesday as at least seven people were killed by a bomb left on a bicycle near a bus station in the Helmand province capital of Lashkar Gah. |
| And as relatives of 27 civilians killed in a botched Nato air strike on Sunday prepared to bury their dead, Nato commander Gen Stanley McChrystal went on Afghan television to say sorry. | And as relatives of 27 civilians killed in a botched Nato air strike on Sunday prepared to bury their dead, Nato commander Gen Stanley McChrystal went on Afghan television to say sorry. |
| The apology was an effort to quell mounting public anger over civilian casualties after the third mistaken bombing raid in a week. | The apology was an effort to quell mounting public anger over civilian casualties after the third mistaken bombing raid in a week. |
| Gen McChrystal's apology came as the number of US troops killed since the Afghan war began nine years ago hit 1,000, according to independent icasualties.org website. | Gen McChrystal's apology came as the number of US troops killed since the Afghan war began nine years ago hit 1,000, according to independent icasualties.org website. |
| More than 15,000 Nato and Afghan forces, meanwhile, were in their 10th day of Operation Moshtarak in the Helmand district of Marjah. | More than 15,000 Nato and Afghan forces, meanwhile, were in their 10th day of Operation Moshtarak in the Helmand district of Marjah. |
| The mission is win public support by routing the Taliban, rushing in aid and setting up a local government. | The mission is win public support by routing the Taliban, rushing in aid and setting up a local government. |