A proposal for the U.N. to mediate a crisis over allegations of election fraud gained momentum Friday as President Hamid Karzai backed the idea and the U.N. said it stood ready to help. Abdullah Abdullah, who is running against Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, has accused electoral officials and others of trying to rig the June 14 vote against him. That has threatened what Western officials had hoped would be a peaceful transfer of authority, as Karzai is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. He announced this week that he was severing ties with the Independent Election Commission and would refuse to recognize any results it releases. The IEC's official timetable says initial results are due on July 2. Karzai said he met with U.N. officials and spoke to Abdullah on the telephone about the issue. He also passed the message to Ahmadzai and said the candidates should choose between U.N. mediation or talks overseen by his two vice presidents. "I welcome any action to help end this political crisis," he said during a meeting with senior Afghan clerics in Kabul. "Sooner or later, Afghanistan will have results from its elections." Seeking to allay fears he might use the crisis to hold onto power, Karzai also set Aug. 2 as the date to inaugurate a new leader. "Whoever becomes the president, we will stand behind him," he said. -- SPA 19:41 LOCAL TIME 16:41 GMT تغريد
