Karzai refuses interim administration call
Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai accepts August date for new elections
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Saturday, 07, Mar 2009 03:51
Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai says he will not step down before August's elections despite his first term ending in May.
The president made the announcement as he accepted the decision from the country's independent election commission to hold new polls in August.
The commission said heavy snow in the country's mountainous areas and the deteriorating security situation made a delay essential. By the time the August polls are held 17,000 extra US troops will be in Afghanistan.
Mr Karzai had issued a decree last month calling on the elections to be held in April to correspond with a constitutional clause demanding new polls be held within 60 days of the president stepping down.
But in a news conference on Saturday he said: "I accept the decision of the election commission... and I call on all sides to respect the decision and allow the commission to do their job."
But Mr Karzai, who has expressed a wish to stand for a second term, refused to accept that an interim administration should be installed between when he steps down in May and the August elections.
"I want legitimate government, whether I'm a candidate or not. That legitimacy comes from the constitution, or going to the people's will," he said.
"I'm ready for both, ready for the constitution and ready for a national consensus."