"After receiving calculating the results, the IEC has determined that President Hamed Karzai has received 49.67 percent of the total valid votes and is recognized as the leading candidate," the poll panel said.

However, none of the candidates received more than 50 percent of the valid votes as required by the Constitution and the Electoral Law of Afghanistan, the commission said a day after receiving the long-awaited findings of an ECC investigation into charges of fraud.

Voicing reservations about the ECC decisions regarding the time constraints, the arrival of winter and problems facing the country, announces, it said the second round would be held on November 7 in accordance with constitutional requirements.

The results of the first round of the presidential election and further details will be announced at a press conference on October 21.

Soon after the president accepted the runoff, the UN chief welcomed the statement from Hamid Karzai. "He (Karzai) has made it clear that the constitutional process must be fully respected," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

He added: "This process is about the future of Afghanistan and the participation of the Afghan people in their future I commend President Karzai for the leadership he has displayed and for his commitment to ensuring full respect for Afghanistan's Constitution and its democratic processes."

He also praised Karzai's key challenger Dr. Abdullah Abdullah for his dignified approach to the campaign as well as to the difficult post-election period. "These elections were held under extremely difficult, even dangerous circumstances," Ban said in a statement.

The UN chief stressed courage and patience demonstrated by the Afghan people and their leaders must be recognised and applauded. They had voted in the face of intimidation and insecurity, he acknowledged.

In a statement released by UNAMA, Ban promised the United Nations would do its utmost for the conduct of the second round of elections in a free, fair, transparent and secure environment.

US President Barack Obama also hailed Karzai's agreement to hold a runoff voting in as an important precedent for Afghan democracy. "I welcome President Karzai's statement today accepting the IEC certification of the August 20 election results, and agreeing to participate in a second round of the election.

"This is an important step forward in ensuring a credible process for the Afghan people which results in a government that reflects their will," Obama said in a statement.

mud/pr