(MENAFN- Daily Outlook Afghanistan) UNITED NATIONS - The UN envoy for Afghanistan voiced support for therelative Afghan parties to conduct a "credible and inclusive"presidential election slated for later this month.
Tadamichi Yamamoto, the special representative of the secretary general forAfghanistan, described the election as "another step in strengthening thefoundation of a representative democratic political system" in thecountry.
The United Nations supports fully the efforts of independent electioncommission, and electoral complaints commission, security institutions, civilsociety as well as candidates, their supporters and voters to conduct credibleand inclusive elections on schedule, he said.
The Sept. 28 poll will be the fourth presidential election in Afghanistansince 2001, when the United States invaded the country following the September11 attacks and overthrew the Taliban, in power since 1996.
Yamamoto said many Afghan people hope for an end to the conflict, "butthey also fear that peace might come at the sacrifice of freedom and rights,which the country has striven to protect and advance for the past 18years."
Many young people, especially young women, are worried about futurerestrictions to their participation in the socio-economic and political life oftheir country, he added.
In this light, the UN envoy said credible elections would provide animportant political foundation for the future of the country as well aslegitimacy and authority to the elected president, which would be important inview of the expected peace process.
He pointed to Taliban's stated threat to disrupt the electoral process,stressing attacks directed against polling centers and civilians participatingin the electoral process are unacceptable and urging the Taliban to retract thethreat.
He also urged the government to provide adequate security arrangements tosafeguard the electoral process and appealed to the Afghan people to exercisetheir right to vote. (Xinhua)
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