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| Afghan vote 'set to be delayed' | Afghan vote 'set to be delayed' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An announcement is due be made shortly that the presidential election in Afghanistan will be postponed until later this year, the BBC has learnt. | An announcement is due be made shortly that the presidential election in Afghanistan will be postponed until later this year, the BBC has learnt. |
| Under the country's constitution, the vote should be held in May, but reports say that the deteriorating security situation has prompted a delay. | Under the country's constitution, the vote should be held in May, but reports say that the deteriorating security situation has prompted a delay. |
| Two alternative dates are thought to be under consideration - the end of August or mid-September | Two alternative dates are thought to be under consideration - the end of August or mid-September |
| The delay will come as little surprise - parts of the country remain unsafe. | The delay will come as little surprise - parts of the country remain unsafe. |
| Large parts of the south and the east of the country are simply too unsafe to conduct a free or fair ballot there at this time. | Large parts of the south and the east of the country are simply too unsafe to conduct a free or fair ballot there at this time. |
| Even the process of registering people to vote has had to be put on hold in some districts. | Even the process of registering people to vote has had to be put on hold in some districts. |
| The hope is that the injection of thousands of extra US troops will create a safer environment for elections to take place. | The hope is that the injection of thousands of extra US troops will create a safer environment for elections to take place. |
| But some leading political figures in Kabul are sceptical that this can be done in such a short space of time. | But some leading political figures in Kabul are sceptical that this can be done in such a short space of time. |
| The constitution says elections should be held by May although the government says that can be extended under exceptional circumstances. | The constitution says elections should be held by May although the government says that can be extended under exceptional circumstances. |
| There are a number of potential challengers to President Hamid Karzai, whose popularity has steadily fallen. | There are a number of potential challengers to President Hamid Karzai, whose popularity has steadily fallen. |
| He has been looking increasingly isolated in the last few weeks with growing tensions between him and the new administration in Washington. | He has been looking increasingly isolated in the last few weeks with growing tensions between him and the new administration in Washington. |
| Some have suggested that rather than an election, there should be a loya jirga, or tribal meeting, to anoint a new leader - but for now that looks like a remote possibility. | Some have suggested that rather than an election, there should be a loya jirga, or tribal meeting, to anoint a new leader - but for now that looks like a remote possibility. |
| The country has staked its future on a democratic path and although progress has been limited and deeply flawed there seem few other alternatives at this time to a second presidential election - delayed or not. | The country has staked its future on a democratic path and although progress has been limited and deeply flawed there seem few other alternatives at this time to a second presidential election - delayed or not. |