Afghanistan developments

Election authorities began delivering ballots with UN assistance across Afghanistan yesterday, as hurried preparations for the November 7 runoff in the insurgency-plagued nation's presidential election got under way. President Hamid Karzai will face former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah in the run-off.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged member states yesterday to step up their efforts to train and equip Afghan forces, warning that inaction would have serious consequences. Rasmussen was speaking before a meeting with alliance defense ministers in Bratislava on a new approach against the widening Taliban insurgency.

China said yesterday it hoped the upcoming presidential run-off in Afghanistan would be smooth and successful.