Eurasia Press & News
Amid requests from both Afghan presidential candidates to broaden the investigation of suspected ballot fraud, the US reaffirmed its support for a “sovereign, unified, and democratic Afghanistan.” State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement Monday, “We have seen today’s announcement of preliminary results and note that these figures are not final or authoritative and may not predict the final outcome, which could still change based on the findings of the Afghan electoral bodies.” The State Department noted the fraud allegations “have yet to be adequately investigated.” “The United Nations, invited by President Karzai and both candidates to facilitate the process, has proposed a series of additional audits of suspect ballots, and that other measures have been under discussion,” affirmed Psaki.
She reiterated, “A full and thorough review of all reasonable allegations of irregularities is essential to ensure that the Afghan people have confidence in the integrity of the electoral process and that the new Afghan President is broadly accepted inside and outside Afghanistan.” The US has, “long stated our support for a credible, transparent, and inclusive process that is broadly supported by the Afghan people and produces a president who can bring Afghanistan together and govern effectively.” Psaki reiterated
