U.S. concerned over Afghan transparency

BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 3 (UPI) -- The international community has legitimate concerns about the transparency of the Afghan election process, said U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke.

Holbrooke, Washington's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, briefed reporters in Washington on his recent trip to the region.

Holbrooke said there was ample reason for concern over the transparency of the election process in Afghanistan.

"The integrity of the elections in the eyes of the Afghan people and the international community is very important and it is a legitimate concern of the international community that with all the troops that are there, with all the international assistance, that there be a process which is transparent and free and fair," he said.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai sparked controversy last month when he moved to take control over the appointment of members of the Afghan Election Complaints Commission, an independent election watchdog.

Karzai faced scrutiny for the circumstances surrounding his re-election in 2009. The ECC in an October investigation said there was "clear and convincing evidence of fraud" in the August contest.

The international community joined Karzai at a London conference in December to make sure Afghan elections were transparent.

Parliamentary elections in Afghanistan are scheduled for Sept. 18.