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Karzai to decide 'soon' second Afghan term


KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday he would decide "soon" whether to run for re-election in August, based on his concern for stability in his fragile nation.Karzai, Afghanistan's first democratically elected president, has seen his approval ratings slide over mounting deadly violence from a Taliban-led insurgency and government corruption.Asked at a news conference if he would stand in the August 20 election, Karzai said, "I'll make the right decision very, very soon, indeed.""It's a decision that I'll make in the light of the country's stability and the legitimacy of the electoral process, and future prosperity and peace and stability of Afghanistan," he said.Karzai noted achievements in recent years but said there was still much to be done, perhaps a hint that he wanted more time in the top job."There is a lot that we have in our mind for the future of Afghanistan, to take this country to where we desire to be -- a democratic Afghanistan."The constitution says the poll should be held 30-60 days before the presidential term ends on May 22, but the election commission has pushed voting back to August citing security threats and logistic necessity.Some of Karzai's opponents demand that he keep to the constitution and end his term in May, giving way to a caretaker government.

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