Powell Pledges Support to Afghans Amid Talk of Election Delay

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Powell Pledges Support to Afghans Amid Talk of Election Delay
By AMY WALDMAN

Published: March 18, 2004

ABUL, Afghanistan, March 17 ? President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday that national elections planned for June could be held as late as August, and that even this goal depended on the success of a major voter registration push to be held in May.

Voter registration has been hampered by rugged terrain, poor security, bureaucracy and cultural constraints on women's participation in public life. So far about 1.5 million of an estimated 10 million eligible voters have been registered.

"By the end of May we should be able to register eight million people," Mr. Karzai said. "If that is done on time by the United Nations, the Afghan government is keen to have elections in June, July or in August ? depending on the preparations for elections."

Mr. Karzai's comments came during the first visit by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to Kabul in more than two years. Mr. Powell said before he departed for Pakistan Wednesday afternoon that delaying the elections by a month or two did not make a "significant difference as long as it's done well, as long as it's seen as fair, honest and objective."


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Objective???