Top Afghan Election Officials Step Down
VOA News 07 April 2010
Afghan officials say the head of the country's Independent Election Commission has resigned, along with his deputy.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai's spokesman, Waheed Omar, told reporters in Kabul Wednesday that IEC chairman Azizullah Ludin did not wish to have his tenure extended. He said the commission's chief electoral officer, Daoud Ali Najafi, also resigned.
The election commission oversaw last year's presidential election, which was marred by widespread fraud. Western nations have pressed Mr. Karzai to overhaul and improve the election watchdog commission.
The Afghan president angered the international community last week after claiming that foreign governments and the United Nations were behind the fraud in the August 20 vote.
Mr. Karzai also reportedly threatened to join the Taliban if his foreign backers continue to pressure him. But on Wednesday, his spokesman, Waheed Omar, appeared to deny that Mr. Karzai ever made such a remark. Omar said the president's office was "shocked" by the media reports and said the remark "does not make sense."
Afghan lawmakers said Monday that President Karzai used a closed meeting last week to lash out at Western critics of his government.
The Afghan leader reportedly said the Taliban will become a "legitimate resistance movement" if outside meddling in Afghan affairs continues, and that he might join the group if outside pressure does not stop.
The United States suggested Tuesday it might cancel a meeting between President Barack Obama and President Karzai, scheduled for May 12, if the Afghan leader continues his anti-foreign rhetoric.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Washington will evaluate Mr. Karzai's further remarks to determine if it is constructive to have such a meeting at this time.
In violence Wednesday, NATO said an Afghan civilian was killed and more than a dozen others were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded near a NATO convoy in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
