Kabul: Abdullah will not participate in the run-off, pressure for re-election of Karzai

Kabul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - There is a climate of uncertainty over the political future of Afghanistan: Abdullah Abdullah yesterday announced that it will not participate in a runoff, scheduled for next November 7. Hamid Karzai remains as the only candidate in running for the presidency, and the Afghan Electoral Commission confirmed that the second round will take place as scheduled.  

The former foreign minister and chief rival of Karzai the country's leader, finished second in the elections of 20 August last year, has motivated the withdrawal from the competition by the failure to change those in charge of the Election Commission. The same that has organized the first vote, on which hang allegations of fraud. A survey found that up to a million votes were rigged, the cancellation of the votes left Karzai below the 50% needed to be re-elected in the first round.  

Abdullah said it was a "tough and painful" decision not to participate in the ballot, but was taken "in the national interest." He added that the second round would "restore the confidence of people in the process" of democratization, but his requests - to ensure "free and fair" elections - have not been met.  

Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State accepts the decision of the challenger, but at the same time, urges Abdullah to cooperate for peace. Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister, said the resignation of the former Afghan Foreign Minister is in the interest "of national unity."  

Experts from the BBC in Kabul, add that "probably" the run-off on November 7 will be cancelled. At the same time the Supreme Court of the country is "under pressure" to declare Karzai the winner.

The decision would not be opposed by the United States, United Nations and Britain, who do not want to expose their troops to terrorist attacks - already announced by the Taliban in the event of elections – for a race which involves one man.  

The same Obama administration, the most critical times in the past with Karzai, considers the re-election the lesser evil. During the five-year term the Afghan president has been unable - or unwilling - to overcome the resistance of the warlords, shift their political struggle and root out the  cultivation and trafficking of drugs, in which the brother of Karzai is rumoured to be involved.  Nor has he been able to fight corruption in public office and in government.  

David Axelrod, one of the closest advisers of Barack Obama, said the polls gave Karzai as sure winner for this "we will work with the Afghan government," though still there are still "many issues to discuss."