Karzai agrees to runoff election in Afghanistan

Karzai and challenger Abdullah Abdullah will meet in the second election because neither candidate garnered 50 percent of the vote in the Aug. 20 election, the Afghan Independent Election Commission said.

"We welcome the decision made by the Independent Election Commission, we believe the session is legitimate, legal and according to the constitution of Afghanistan," Karzai told a news conference Tuesday.

Karzai's decision brings to an end a more-than-month-long stalemate over the August election results. Supporters of Abdullah and many international observers claimed the election results were marred by widespread fraud.

Karzai had steadfastly rejected the allegations and stood by the results until last week, when a UN-backed commission released the results of its investigation of the election. The Electoral Complaints Commission on Monday ordered Afghan election officials to throw out one-third of the votes cast for Karzai, saying it found "clear and convincing evidence of fraud."

With the order, Karzai's vote total fell below the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff. The United States and France, both of whom are supporting the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban, have been urging Karzai and Abdullah to respect the order to ensure government stability and legitimacy.

U.S. President Barack Obama hailed Karzai's decision today as "an important step forward in ensuring a credible process for the Afghan people which results in a government that reflects their will."

Written by Sandy Smith