UN SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS AFGHANISTAN
Baku, November 2 (AZERTAC). UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Afghanistan on Monday for meetings with President Hamid Karzai and leading opposition figure Abdullah Abdullah, the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan said.
Abdullah`s withdrawal effectively handed Karzai a victory, but it is still unclear if the vote will go forward Saturday as scheduled. The two had been in talks about a power-sharing deal, and negotiations may still be going on. Abdullah chose not to boycott the vote, a conciliatory move that could mean he is still hoping for a deal.
Karzai has said the runoff should go forward as planned, but there is no clear article in Afghanistan`s constitution or electoral law to address the situation. The chairman of the Independent Election Commission, Azizullah Lodin, said Sunday that he would have to meet with constitutional lawyers before deciding how to proceed.
The Secretary General will meet with the two men “to assure them and the Afghan people of the continuing support of the United Nations toward the development of the country,” the statement said.
In light of last week`s attack on a guest house in Kabul in which five UN staff members were killed and nine injured, the UN is urgently reviewing the security environment throughout Afghanistan, including exploring the feasibility of bringing in additional security units to guard UN facilities and guest houses.
Other news in this section
