BBC: Karzai, Holbrooke had verbal fight

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Both sides are denying the special U.S. envoy to Afghanistan had a heated argument with President Hamid Karzai following the Afghan election, the BBC reports.

The British network reported sources said Thursday Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke and Karzai had an "explosive" meeting the day after last week's presidential election at which Holbrooke raised concerns about ballot-stuffing and fraud allegations.

Holbrooke, the unnamed sources said, had suggested a runoff could lend credibility to the process. That angered Karzai and led to a "dramatic bust-up," the BBC said it was told.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul would not provide details of the meeting, but said there was no shouting and Holbrooke did not storm out.

Likewise, a spokesman for the presidential palace denied the account of the conversation, the BBC said.

In early returns, Karzai has been reported to be leading several opposition candidates led by Abdullah Abdullah but did not have the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Final results aren't expected until September.