WASHINGTON (PAN): US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke on Friday praised Afghan president Hamid Karzai and strongly denied that he had strained relationship with the Afghan leader.

"I am looking forward to working with Karzai if he is reelected in the November 7 run-off presidential elections, Holbrooke told a press conference held at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department.

He said he respects Karzai and looks forward to meeting him in a few days. I respect him. And if he is re-elected as President on November 7, we all look forward to working closely with him in pursuit of mutual goals, the Special Envoy said.

In terms of my relationships with President Karzai, they're fine. They're correct. They are appropriate. I speak to him on behalf of my government, and he speaks as President of the country."

In an interview to The Cable online forum of the prestigious Foreign Policy Holbrooke had said he was planning to visit Afghanistan later next month along with his trip to India. I personally look forward to seeing him in a few days, and I have absolutely no problems with him. It is as simple as that, Holbrooke said when asked about media reports about the strained relationship he has with the Afghan President.

If the second round re-elects Hamid Karzai as President of Afghanistan, we look forward to working with him. It's as simple as that. And second terms are second terms in the United States and in Afghanistan, he said.

He said the United States has a very high hope that, after the election, the Government of Afghanistan will work closely with the international community to institute good governance and bring peace and stability in the country. I did this when I was there two months. This was the major topic of my conversations with President Karzai, was what would happen in the future, he said.

The US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry has continued that, and the Obama Administration looks forward to continuing it after the elections.

Referring to the November 7 elections, Holbrooke hoped that this time there would be less irregularity. It is reasonable to hope that there will be less irregularities this time for several reasons. One, there are only two candidates. Two, there's the experience factor. Three, the international community, including the forces under General McChrystal's command, are going to go all-out to help make this a success, he explained.

Now, they did so on August 20th, but there are more forces in the country today, and they are ready to deploy. Not all of the 21,000 troops authorized by President Obama were in place in August 20th. They are all there now, he said.

Not willing to predict the outcome of the election, he said: I am not going to predict what's going to happen. I don't think predicting things in Afghanistan is such a great idea.

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