Sunday, July 13, 2014

Afghan presidential rivals reach deal, brokered by Kerry, to recount all votes --- KABUL — Secretary of State John F. Kerry helped ease a major political crisis in Afghanistan on Saturday, persuading rival presidential candidates to agree to a full recount of votes cast in a runoff election marred by widespread fraud. -- Emerging from at least 20 hours of talks over two days, Kerry said that United Nations and international observers, along with observers from each campaign, will preside over the inspection of all 8 million ballots, which international troops will transfer to Kabul from Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. The winner of the recount, which Kerry said could take “many weeks,” will then form a national consensus government. -- The incumbent president, Hamid Karzai, has been asked to postpone his successor’s inauguration, which had been scheduled for Aug. 2, and has agreed to stay on as president until the new government is formed. -- “Today, we’re here at a pivotal moment for Afghanistan and its democracy as it seeks to complete a historical transition,” Kerry said at a joint news conference Saturday night with the two candidates, ex-foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and former World Bank executive Ashraf Ghani. The rivals shook hands and eventually hugged, each praising the other’s commitment to Afghanistan and democracy. -- Kerry sounded a note of caution, however, warning that there is a long way to go before the political crisis is resolved. -- “This job will not be done until Afghanistan’s leaders certify an election and honor the determination of millions of Afghans to make their voices heard,” he said. - More, Erin Cunningham, http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghan-presidential-rivals-reach-deal-brokered-by-kerry-on-a-unity-government/2014/07/12/2521eb24-09fb-11e4-a0dd-f2b22a257353_story.html

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