Abdullah Abdullah withdraws out of Afghan presidential election

Afghan challenger Abdullah Abdullah says he will not participate in the November 7 runoff presidential election after his demands for changes in the election commission were not met.

Abdullah denounced the commission for fraud in the first round ballot August 20 and told supporters today that he offered demands to ensure a fair vote this time.

But he says his proposals were rejected, so "I will not participate in the November 7 election." He said a transparent election was not possible.

In an emotional speech, Abdullah said that he did not believe a free and fair election was possible without changes in the leadership of the electoral commission, which ran the fraud-marred first-round ballot August 20. Abdullah said the Afghan people should not accept results of a ballot run by the current group. He told supporters that Karzai's government had not been legitimate since its mandate expired last May.

The Supreme Court, appointed by Karzai, extended his mandate after the election was put off from last spring until August. A runoff was ordered after UN auditors threw out nearly a third of Karzai's votes in the first round ballot, dropping him below the 50 per cent threshold for victory in the 36-candidate field.

Abdullah denounced the Karzai-appointed election commission for fraud in the first round ballot and said his proposals for changes in the electoral body had all been rejected. "In one hour, all my conditions could have been implemented," he said.

"Unfortunately until the last moment we were waiting, but we heard they rejected our appeals. And the transparency of the elections was not possible. He said the people of Afghanistan "have the right" to a free and fair election but the last ballot "was a failure."