EU welcomes deal on Afghan presidential election

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton Sunday welcomed the agreement between Afghan presidential candidates Dr Abdullah Abdullah and Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on a comprehensive audit of the results of the presidential elections.
In a statement, the EU foreign policy chief noted that this is a "confirmation of their desire to fulfil the democratic aspirations of the Afghan people and restore confidence in the election process." "We applaud the two candidates for their leadership and readiness for compromise in the interest of the people of Afghanistan. We commend US Secretary of State John Kerry and the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Jan Kubis for their tireless efforts to facilitate this agreement," she said. The EU will continue supporting a democratic and legitimate transition of power in Afghanistan including through the EU Election Assessment Team which will closely follow the agreed auditing of election results, added Ashton.