Afghan leader to allow foreign election monitors
13/03/2010 - 12:20:53The Afghan president has reversed an earlier decision and agreed to allow two foreigners on a commission monitoring forthcoming parliamentary elections.
The move comes amid pressure to avoid a repeat of last year’s fraud-tainted presidential vote.
President Hamid Karzai’s spokesman said today the president had notified the United Nations of his decision.
Last month, Karzai signed a decree allowing him to appoint all five members of the Electoral Complaints Commission for the September polls. The body previously had three UN appointees.
The decree was criticised as a bid to control the body, which stripped Karzai of nearly one third of his votes last year. Karzai was declared the victor after his challenger dropped out of a runoff.
| Related Stories: |
|
