Friday, January 21, 2011

Afghan assembly must meet 'as soon as possible:' US



The United States called Friday for the new parliament in Kabul to "convene as soon as possible" after Afghan President Hamid Karzai decided to delay its opening.

"We're working to try to resolve this, but we've made clear, as has the UN, that we believe that parliament should convene as soon as possible," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) earlier voiced "deep concern" at Karzai's decision and said it wanted to see the fraud-hit parliament convene "as soon as possible."

The comments increased the pressure on Karzai, already facing a tense situation after many lawmakers vowed to open the parliament without him on Sunday in open defiance of his authority.

The US government, Crowley said, is "working to try to resolve" the situation, especially through US ambassador Karl Eikenberry.

"We obviously want to see the political process and the government move forward. There's no shortage of action for the government to take," he said.

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