KABUL (PAN): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Monday called for reforming the Independent Election Commission (IEC) before the parliamentary vote due in May this year. A UNAMA spokesman, addressing a press conference in Kabul, stressed the need for reforming the poll panel. However, Aleem Siddique stopped short of specifying the areas that needed to be streamlined. Asked whether UNAMA would fund the parliamentary polls in case the US declined, he replied the Afghan government had not yet requested for money. "We will have to judge our level of engagement based on progress made in reforming electoral institutions ahead of any poll." Siddique underlined cleaner and fairer future elections, saying: "We need to see the removal and replacement of those officials who were complicit in the fraud" committed in the August presidential and provincial council polls. But Zakaria Barakzai, deputy head of the IEC Secretariat, spurned the UNAMA view that the presidential elections lacked transparency. He insisted the polls, despite the alleged irregularities, were more transparent than the previous election. In response to the query whether the delay in cabinet formation would hamper progress at the London Conference, he said the world body was encouraged by the fact that key ministers -- finance, agriculture and defence -- and acting or deputy ministers would attend the event. The London Conference, to be co-chaired by the UK government and the United Nations under Afghan leadership, will be attended by foreign ministers from more than 40 countries, including Iran and Pakistan, the European Union and other international organisations. Outgoing UNAMA chief Kai Eide would be addressing the United Nations Security Council in New York on Wednesday, the spokesman revealed. Eide is expected to urge the international community to demilitarise its overall approach in Afghanistan. Siddique added: "The Special Representative will make it clear that the extra military resources committed to Afghanistan are much appreciated and required, but they must be accompanied by a coherent political strategy." Before Eide's speech to the Security Council, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will release his latest quarterly report on Afghanistan. The Council will likely examine issues such as UNAMA's mandate, the implications of the budget and how the mission could better coordinate international aid. mnm/mud