India hopes for smooth Afghan polls
US Secretary of State John F. Kerry has reached Kabul to see the end of a stalemate over a disputed runoff on June 14 and ensure a peaceful transition of power as President Hamid Karzai is set to step down after being in power for nearly a decade.
In response to a media question on Presidential elections in Afghanistan, which has led to a political crisis over charges of fraud, the Official Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs in India said: "We count on the wisdom of the Afghan people, the Government and the election machinery of Afghanistan and, above all, the two candidates to find an amicable solution for smooth completion of the election process in Afghanistan’s larger interest."
"India has consistently stood with and supported the Afghan people in their quest to build a peaceful, stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan. A credible, peaceful and transparent election, accepted by all, and leading to a smooth political transition is essential for the Afghans to achieve this goal and preserve the enormous gains that they have made in the past decade in the face of formidable odds," the spokesperson said.
"Therefore, at this critical juncture of multiple transitions for Afghanistan, the election process should become a source of unity, not of discord," he said.
India said it has deeply admired the democratic commitment shown by the people of Afghanistan in the Presidential election, despite widespread threat of violence.
"We hope that the final outcome of the Presidential election will be in accordance with the Constitution and the electoral laws of Afghanistan, including on the use of mechanisms for redressing election-related complaints and grievances.This will ensure that the election is broadly acceptable to the people of Afghanistan," said the spokesperson.
The standoff occured when former Afghan Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani claimed victory Monday as the poll results showed that he has garnered 56.4% of the vote.
Ghani's political opponent, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, rejected the result and alleged electoral fraud, declaring himself a victor.
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