New president inauguration won’t be delayed

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Hamid Karzai on Saturday made clear there was no chance of any further extension in the date set for the new president’s inauguration, scheduled for September 2.

The president was talking to United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) head Jan Kubis, who called on him at the Presidential Palace to discuss the ongoing vote audit , a statement from the palace said.

It said Kubis updated Karzai on progress made so far in the vote audit process and informed the Independent Election Commission (IEC) had been urged to further accelerate the audit.

Karzai said the government was fully prepared to hold the inauguration ceremony for the new president in line with the promised date of Sept 2. “There is no chance of any change in the deadline,” Karzai was quoted as saying.

The next president’s inauguration had been earlier scheduled for August 2 but was postponed on the demand of Kubis and the two presidential candidates.

The statement added that Karzai met on Thursday US Ambassador James B. Cunningham. He conveyed a strong message to the US, the UN and foreigners were involved in the electoral process and it was their responsibility to speed it up and ensure the swearing-in ceremony for the new president took place on September 2.

The president told the US envoy the delay in completing the vote audit had a negative impact on the country’s economic and security situations. He insisted the deadline set for the new president’s inauguration would not be extended.

ma/mud

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