Global Times - Karzai to accept final vote result: spokesman

Karzai to accept final vote result: spokesman

Source: Global Times
[16:57 October 20 2009]
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Afghan President Hamid Karzai will accept the final ruling of electoral authorities, his spokesman said Tuesday.

Following an investigation by the Election Complaints Commission (ECC) into fraud, Karzai's share of the vote in the August 20 election is expected to have fallen below 50 percent, which will result in a run-off between Karzai and his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah.

"We have to wait for the final announcement through legal channels, which is the Independent Election Commission (IEC), and once the IEC announces the results, then we are bound to accept it, based on the law," said spokesman Waheed Ornar, according to AFP.

The UN-backed ECC sent its long-awaited investigation into the August 20 election poll to the IEC which is now assessing the report and will announce if Karzai will face a run-off late on Tuesday.

Karzai also told UN Secretary–General Ban Ki-moon on the phone Monday that he "will fully respect the constitutional order."