KABUL (Reuters) - Senior foreign officials yesterday pressed President Hamid Karzai to resolve a disputed election which has threatened to undermine the Western effort to stabilise Afghanistan.

The discussions, some by telephone and some in person, took place just before the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission was to announce the findings of its investigation into allegations of fraud in the August 20 presidential vote.

The accusations have left Afghanistan in a state of political uncertainty at a time when US President Barack Obama is deciding on sending more troops to fight the Taliban.

If Karzai’s vote tally is reduced, he could face a run-off round against former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

“The second round is definitely on the radar screen right now,” said a Western official close to the process. “This is why there are delays. There are some tense negotiations going on.”

The complaints commission has already said it had found “clear and convincing evidence of fraud”.
If it finds the fraud insufficient to overturn the result, Karzai can be declared the winner and would move to appoint a new government.

But he has made clear he would prefer not to fight a second round and has spoken out against the investigation, making veiled accusations of foreign meddling.

Some officials believe Karzai may resist accepting the commission’s findings or seek to overturn them.