時事新聞:阿富汗將舉行第二輪總統選舉
【英文原文】
Karzai Accepts Runoff, Ending Political Deadlock
President Hamid Karzai yielded to international pressure and accepted a runoff in Afghanistan's controversial presidential election, ending a debilitating political deadlock and triggering preparations for a new vote on Nov. 7.
Mr. Karzai's decision, announced after days of meetings in Kabul with Sen. John Kerry and phone conversations with world leaders, opened a way out of the political crisis that undermined the legitimacy of the country's democratic process and reinforced the spreading Taliban insurgency.
Allegations of widespread fraud in the Aug. 20 election had created uncertainty as to whether the U.S. and its allies have a credible partner in Kabul, and prompted President Barack Obama's administration to launch a second review of its Afghan policy in nine months. On Tuesday, Mr. Obama -- who is still examining a request by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan for tens of thousands of more troops -- called Mr. Karzai to congratulate him on his 'constructive' action.
'This election could have remained unresolved to the detriment of the country,' Mr. Obama said in a written statement. 'The Afghan constitution and laws are strengthened by President Karzai's decision, which is in the best interests of the Afghan people.'
Mr. Karzai, a member of Afghanistan's biggest ethnic community, the Pashtuns, is widely expected to win the second-round vote. Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah is seen as representing the ethnic Tajik minority. The next two finishers in the first round drew much of their support from Pashtun areas.
【中文譯文】
阿富汗總統卡爾扎伊(Hamid Karzai)在國際壓力下做出讓步，接受對該國富有爭議的總統大選進行第二輪選舉。卡爾扎伊此舉結束了導致阿富汗內耗的政治僵局，啓動了11月7日新選舉的準備工作。
在卡爾扎伊做出這一決定前幾天，他在喀布爾會見了美國參議員約翰•克里(John Kerry)，並與全球領導人進行了電話討論。卡爾扎伊此舉爲阿富汗走出政治危機開闢了一條道路。阿富汗當前的政治危機削弱了該國民主進程的合法性，增強了勢力不斷壯大的塔利班叛亂分子的實力。
8月20日的大選一直飽受大規模舞弊的非議，這給美國及其盟友是否在喀布爾擁有一個可信的夥伴帶來了不確定性，促使美國總統奧巴馬(Barack Obama)政府在9個月內對阿富汗政策進行了第二次評估。奧巴馬週二致電卡爾扎伊，對後者這一“建設性”的舉動表示祝賀。奧巴馬目前仍在審議駐阿富汗美軍最高指揮官要求增兵數萬人的申請。
奧巴馬發表書面聲明說，如果卡爾扎伊不做出這一決定，大選問題可能會遲遲得不到解決，從而會損害到阿富汗的利益。卡爾扎伊的決定鞏固了阿富汗憲法和法律，符合阿富汗人們的最佳利益。
卡爾扎伊來自阿富汗最大族裔普什圖族，外界普遍預計他能夠贏得第二輪大選。阿富汗前外交部長阿卜杜拉(Abdullah Abdullah)被視爲代表着少數民族塔吉克族。第一輪選舉中，得票排在三四位的兩位競選人有不少選票來自普什圖族地區。
