Obama urges calm
US President Barack Obama has taken the unusual step of intervening in a foreign election, asking both candidates in Afghanistan's disputed presidential race to allow the process for investigating fraud claims to go forward and threatening a cutoff in US aid if "extra-constitutional measures" are taken.
Obama called the leading candidate, Ashraf Ghani, on Tuesday, the day after he spoke to Ghani's opponent, Abdullah Abdullah. The White House said Obama told both candidates the US expects fraud allegations to be thoroughly reviewed, urging the two men to seek a resolution that doesn't undermine Afghanistan's fragile national unity.
"He also noted that there is no justification for resorting to violent or extra-constitutional means, which would result in the end of US assistance to Afghanistan," the White House said in a statement.
AP
(China Daily 07/10/2014 page12)
