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KABUL (PAN): The UN special envoy to Afghanistan has underlined the imperative of a broad national consensus on core issues facing the war-torn country after Thursday's presidential and provincial council elections.

Kai Edie told a news conference in Kabul on Tuesday: "After the elections end, the political personalities of the country should come together and reflect the maturity which they showed during the election campaign."

A political consensus should be established to resolve the basic problems including the security situation, economic development and a possible peace process. "That kind of process, particularity peace processes, cannot take place in an environment where there is not a broad consensus in the Afghan society…"

He replied in the affirmative to the query if the election would still be credible at a time when rockets were fired into Kabul and Jalalabad, the roads to Ghazni were closed and 12 percent of polling stations unlikely to open.

"My answer is yes. I do believe in the credibility of these elections. When it comes to the security situation, we did expect a more difficult situation. We have been preparing for a more difficult security situation and that has also been at the basis for the work that has gone on over the last few weeks and months."

No polling stations would be closed, he assured, saying the question was how many would open. He was optimistic that a greater number of polling centres would open compared to the previous elections.

Edie reminded militants that the elections were launched by Afghans and belonged to Afghans to choose their leader and the international community was impartial in the process.

About the homecoming of Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, the UNAMA head argued it was the right of every Afghan to return to his own country. "I believe that with all the challenges that this country is facing, the leaders of this country must be those who will and are able to look toward the future and not keep us in the past."

He was of the opinion the government had improved in competence with new reform-oriented politicians over the last few months. When the future administration was shaped, he hoped, more of the competent and reform-oriented politicians could take Afghanistan forward.

With regard to the number of female candidates, the envoy said he was worried a few days before the registration period ended that few of women would be in the run. "Now we did end up with a higher number of female candidates than last time."

However, he admitted the number of women contenders was not enough. He asked women to play a more active role in Afghanistan's public life. He hoped the new government would include many more women than the present administration had.

mnm/mud