Military

DATE=10/06/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=AFGHANISTAN/CAMPAIGN ENDS (L-O)

NUMBER=2-319460

BYLINE= MICHAEL KITCHEN

DATELINE= KABUL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: Bombing Mars Final Day of Afghan Presidential Campaign

INTRO: A bomb attack on an election rally in northeast Afghanistan has marred the last day of an otherwise peaceful campaign season, as the country prepares for its first-ever vote for president. The Afghan Interior Ministry says the blast killed two people and injured another two.

TEXT: Interior Ministry spokesman Latfullah Mashal said the bomb attack took place during an event for Ahmed Zia Masood, the senior running mate of incumbent President Hamid Karzai.

He said Mr. Masood survived unharmed and that it is still too early to say whether the attackers were political rivals or anti-government insurgents attempting to disrupt the election process.

The bombing was the first attack against a political rally in what has been an unexpectedly peaceful presidential campaign.

Remnants of Afghanistan's former Islamist Taleban regime and other anti-government forces have repeatedly vowed armed opposition against the election, and a number of election workers have been killed or injured in insurgent attacks.

Speaking on the last official day of the campaign season, U.N. special representative Jean Arnault said the world body is satisfied conditions for a free and fair election have been met.

Mr. Arnault said only a catastrophic incident on election day Saturday could undo the credibility of the election process.

/// ARNAULT ACT 1 ///

"For example, massive security failure throughout the country would certainly call into question the election. A situation where half the population had been prevented from showing at the polls would create a crisis of legitimacy. We do not quite believe this would happen."

/// END ACT ///

He added that Afghanistan's fledgling democracy was by no means perfect, citing reports of intimidation and unfair influence by the candidates' supporters. But he said such problems could not detract from the achievement that holding this election represents.

/// ARNAULT ACT 2 ///

"This election shows a trend, a process of accelerated transition from the rule of the gun toward something else."

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Arnault said he was especially pleased that some candidates associated with specific ethnic groups have recently expanded their campaigns to include rallies outside their own ethnic and geographic bases. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/MK/BK/RAE