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Afghan Parliament Vote Will Be Postponed

   Afghanistan's  Independent  Election  Commission says it is postponing
   the parliamentary elections because of a funding shortage and security
   concerns.

   Bruce Allen 24 January 2010

Photo: AP

   Afghan_President_Hamid_Karzai

   Afghanistan's  Independent  Election  Commission  has  confirmed it is
   postponing  the  parliamentary elections because of a funding shortage
   and security concerns.
   Election  commissioner Fazil Ahmed Manawi said Sunday the vote will be
   pushed back from May 22 to September 18.
   An  election  official  said  earlier Sunday the commission decided to
   delay the vote because it lacks the $120 million needed to pay for it.
   The   international   community   spent  more  than  $220  million  on
   Afghanistan's  presidential  poll  last  August,  which  was marred by
   widespread fraud.
   Western  officials  have  called  for transparent and fair legislative
   elections  in  Afghanistan this year, but some worry that the problems
   in the last election will not be solved before the next one.

   Reuters  news  agency  quotes  a  U.S.  Embassy  spokesperson who says
   Western  nations  may not pay for another election without significant
   electoral reforms.
   Afghan  President Hamid Karzai pledged to tackle government corruption
   following his re-election in August, 2009.

   Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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