Afghan leader to allow monitors
Afghan President Hamid Karzai agrees to allow foreign monitors for elections
Saturday March 13 2010
The Afghan president has reversed an earlier decision and agreed to allow two foreigners on a commission monitoring forthcoming parliamentary elections.
The move comes amid pressure to avoid a repeat of last year's fraud-tainted presidential vote.
President Hamid Karzai's spokesman said the president had notified the United Nations of his decision.
Last month, Karzai signed a decree allowing him to appoint all five members of the Electoral Complaints Commission for the September polls. The body previously had three UN appointees.
The decree was criticised as a bid to control the body, which stripped Karzai of nearly one third of his votes last year. Karzai was declared the victor after his challenger dropped out of a runoff.
