In Afghanistan, pressure is mounting for early announcement of final results for August 20 Presidential elections even as hectic political efforts are on over the formation of new government. Afghan ForeignMinister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta told Reuters that the people of Afghanistan have the right to know who will be the next president and whether elections will go to a second round or not.<br/> He said they have their differences with international partners over the delay as it is not in the interest of country. UN-backed electoral complaints commission is looking into the sample recounting of around one-fourth of total votes whose outcome will determine the final results, expected by week end. One Afghan member of the commission resigned on Monday citing undue foreign influence in decision making. <br/> Meanwhile, the chairman of Afghan upper house of Parliament Sibghatullah Mujaddedi has said that western powers want to form coalition government which is the reason for delay in announcement of results. He said some international leaders had met Afghan elders on formation of such government. Incumbent President Mr. Hamid Karzai has<br/>rejected such idea and reacted sharply against such foreign interference. A former US ambassador to Afghanistan Mr. Zalmay Khalilzad is in capital Kabul to meet all stakeholders over the ongoing impasse.
News On AIR | October 14, 2009 12:28 PM
Pressure mounting for release of Afghan presidential poll results