Afghanistan's president is denying there was any major fraud in last month's voting. Full, preliminary results show the incumbent, Hamid Karzai, capturing enough votes to avoid a runoff with his closest challenger.
阿富汗总统卡尔扎伊否认上个月举行的选举中有任何重大舞弊现象。全面的初步点票结果显示现任总统卡尔扎伊赢得的票数足以使他不必再和得票与他最接近的挑战者举行决选。
For the first time since the August 20 election, President Karzai has addressed allegations made by domestic and foreign observers of massive ballot-box stuffing.
卡尔扎伊总统自8月20号的选举以来第一次谈到阿富汗国内以及外国观察员所指称的有人向票箱里大批塞票的问题。
"Fraud - if it is committed - it has to be investigated, but investigated fairly and without prejudice," Karzai said.
他说：“如果发生了舞弊，就一定会进行调查，但必须是公正和毫无偏见的调查。”
The president says media reports have exaggerated the incidents of fraud. Auditing and recounting of votes could reduce his total below the majority needed to avoid a run-off against former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.
卡尔扎伊说，媒体报导夸大了舞弊行为。核查选票和重新点票有可能使卡尔扎伊得到的票数减少到低于不举行决选所需的得票最低线。赢得第二多票数的是前外交部长阿卜杜拉。
European Union election observers contend about 30 percent of the ballots are tainted, including more than one-million suspect votes for the incumbent.
欧洲联盟选举观察员称，30%的选票有问题，其中可能有100多万张投卡尔扎伊的票。
The votes were counted by the government-appointed Independent Election Commission. A partial recount has been ordered by another body, the Election Complaints Commission, which is dominated by appointees of the United Nations.
清点选票由阿富汗政府指定的独立选举委员会进行。大多数由联合国指派人员组成的选举申诉委员会下令对部分选票进行重新清点。
The U.N. Mission in Afghanistan is, itself, split over how tough overseers should be concerning the fraud allegations. The second-in-command at the mission, American diplomat Peter Galbraith, confirms he left Afghanistan after a disagreement with U.N. Special Representative Kai Eide on the post-election approach. Reports say Ambassador Galbraith has sided with the Canadian chairman of the Electoral Complaints Commission, Grant Kippen, to take a hard line and toss out all tainted ballots.
联合国阿富汗援助团在选举监督人员应该针对投票舞弊指称采取行动的力度上有内部分歧。该机构的第二号人物、美国外交官加尔布雷斯证实，他在与联合国秘书长阿富汗事务代表凯.艾德就如何处理阿富汗选举后的问题发生分歧后已经离开阿富汗。报导说，加尔布雷斯站在选务申诉委员会主席、加拿大的奇朋一边，主张采取强硬政策，把有问题的选票全都作废。
A more cautious group of officials and diplomats, contending a fraud-free election is impossible, warns of the dangers of attempting to hold a run-off in a country fighting a worsening insurgency. Some are calling for the incumbent and the top challenger to be pressured into a power-sharing deal.
一些官员和外交官主张采取更谨慎的作法。他们认为完全没有舞弊的选举是不可能的，并警告说试图在一个要打击不断滋长的反叛势力的国家试图举行决选会带来危险。一些人呼吁向现任总统卡尔扎伊和他的头号竞选对手施加压力，要他们达成一项权力分享协议。
The electoral crisis comes as Taliban forces have widened their influence and increased attacks on the 42-nation member coalition and Afghan troops.
The United States, which has the majority of the 100,000 armed personnel in Afghanistan, is debating whether to send more troops. This comes at a time when American public support for the eight-year military campaign is on the wane. |