Karzai major rival refuses forming coalition gov't
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Incumbent president Hamid Karzai's top rival Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of making coalition government, saying this is not the solution for the country's problems.
"The way for the solution of the problem of the country is not formation of coalition government," he told newsmen at his first press conference after announcing election run-off by election body on Tuesday.
Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) set Nov. 7 as the date for the second round between the top candidates, the sitting president Hamid Karzai and his former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.
"I want peace, security and dignity for the people of Afghanistan and this would be achieved through a free and fair voting in the second round of the election," Abdullah stressed.
However, he emphasized for having free and fair voting in the second round, saying "We have certain suggestions and recommendations in order to avoid fraud."
Nevertheless, he did not go into details, but adding the suggestions would strengthen institutions.
In the preliminary result of Afghanistan's second presidential election held on Aug. 20 amid widespread fraud allegation, the sitting president Hamid Karzai won over 54 percent while his nearest rival Abdullah Abdullah secured 28 percent of more than 5. 5 million votes.
The UN-backed election monitoring body -- Election Complaints Commission (ECC) -- after weeks of investigation invalidated 210 polling stations out of nearly 27,000, lowering Karzai's vote bellow 50 percent, thus the country would go for a run-off.
Abdullah in his press conference also called for taking legal action against those involved in fraud and vote-rigging in presidential election.
President Karzai, after intense talks with chairman of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry in a press conference flanked by Senator Kerry and UN special envoy to Afghanistan Kai Eide, described the runoff a legal step and welcomed it.
Kerry said that the international community and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan would make the run-off succeed.
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