UN will do utmost to ensure credible Afghan presidential run-off (Ban)

United Nations, New York, 20 October 2009 - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today pledged the full support of the United Nations to ensure that Afghanistan's presidential election run-off is as credible as possible and welcomed President Hamid Karzai's acceptance of a second round of voting.

The United Nations will do its utmost for the conduct of the second round of elections scheduled for 7 November 2009 in a free, fair, transparent and secure environment, Mr. Ban told reporters in New York.

The run-off, between Mr. Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, was announced today, after the UN-backed panel investigating claims of fraud submitted its findings to the country's top electoral authority.

Opening statement by the Secretary-General:
http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4172

News story:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32625&Cr=&Cr1=

UNAMA website:
http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1741&ctl=Details&mid=1...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• United Nations
• UN
• Secretary-General
• Ban Ki-moon
• Statement
• Election
• Afghanistan
• President Hamid Karzai
• UNAMA
• UN credibility
• Second election
• Fraud
• Democratic processes
• Dr. Abdullah Abdullah
• Mr. Kai Eide
• Afghan Government.