Ambassador: US to not interfere in Afghan elections

KABUL: (MEP) – James Cunningham, US ambassador to Afghanistan confirmed his country will not support any candidate in the upcoming Afghan elections, the diplomat who was talking in an event hosted by Afghan Institute of Strategic Studies, added free and fair elections is the only to prevent crisis in this country, 1TV reported.

The gathering with the presence of Afghan government opposition party leader, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, MPs, civil society activists and media person, Cunningham, welcomed Afghan president`s inking the electoral law.

The American diplomat in Afghanistan re-assured that US will only support Afghanistan in holding the elections, but it will not support any candidate or political party.

He contended: “as president Obama clarified, US will not back any candidate, nor interferes in the Afghan elections. We only persuade Afghan parties and people to take part for the sake of having free, transparent and acceptable elections.”

On the other hand, IEC, talks on lack of government`s control in number of districts throughout the country.

The commission added there is possibility of not conducting elections due to security threats in districts of “Baghran” and “Desho” in Helmand, and “Kakar” in Zabul and “Nawah” district in Ghazni province respectively.

At the same time, talking to “1TV”, Najibullah Danesh, deputy spokesman to Afghan ministry of Interior Affairs, assures security provision for polling stations in Afghanistan, adding the ministry does not have any concerns regarding security arrangements.