WASHINGTON (PAN): UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged presidential candidates Ashraf Ghani Ahmedzai and Dr Abdullah Abdullah to abide by their pledge to form a unity government.
“In his conversations, he stressed the need for both of them to abide by their public commitments and conclude the political agreement on a government of national unity,” a UN statement said.
Ban said the UN-supported ballot audit, currently ongoing, was robust, comprehensive and consistent with international best practices.
During the phone call, Ban asked both to think of the future of Afghanistan and its people. “He reassured them the UN and the international community were united in their support of peaceful transition in Afghanistan.”
Ban also spoke to outgoing President Hamid Karzai, promising the UN would remain committed to a partnership with Afghanistan. He expressed the hope Karzai would continue to remain involved as an elder of the country.
Separately, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman met with Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani. “I was here to reinforce the message to the two candidates, on behalf of the Secretary-General, to please move forward.”.
After separate meetings with the candidates, Feltman said: “And if there are things we can do to help them, we’re willing to do it; but this, obviously, is an Afghanistan decision about Afghanistan’s future.”
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