Afghanistan's Karzai agrees to election run-off

By Jonathon Burch

KABUL (Reuters) - President Hamid Karzai agreed to face a second round of voting in Afghanistan's disputed election on Tuesday after a U.N.-led fraud inquiry tossed out enough of his votes to trigger a run-off.

Karzai's decision immediately eased tensions with the West and removed one stumbling block for U.S. President Barack Obama as he weighs whether to send more troops to Afghanistan to fight a resurgent Taliban.

Obama called Karzai to congratulate him for accepting the run-off and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed Karzai's decision.

"It is now vital that all elements of Afghan society continue to come together to advance democracy, peace and justice," Obama said in a statement.

"We look forward to a second round of voting, and the completion of the process to choose the president of Afghanistan."

Obama also telephoned Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister whom Karzai faces in the November 7 run-off, to thank him for his "constructive efforts," the White House said.

Obama administration officials have stressed that for Washington to succeed in Afghanistan it is essential that there be a legitimate and credible government in Kabul.

Obama was to meet with his war council this week and next on the request by his top military commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, for 40,000 or more reinforcements.

After hours of closed-door talks with Western diplomats, Karzai appeared tense as he accepted the ruling by the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC). The ruling cut his tally to 49.7 percent from the preliminary first-round result of 54.6 percent -- below the 50 percent needed for an outright win.

"We believe that this decision of the IEC is legitimate, legal and constitutional and that it strengthens the path toward democracy," said Karzai, with U.S. Senator John Kerry and U.N. Afghanistan envoy Kai Eide at his side.

The IEC made its ruling after a separate U.N.-backed fraud panel invalidated tens of thousands of votes for Karzai this week. Karzai had earlier said the extent of fraud was exaggerated and expressed confidence in his first-round victory.

Abdullah's camp said they were prepared for the run-off.

"We had hoped the president would accept the second round," said his spokesman, Fazel Sangcharaki.

MOUNTING CASUALTIES

Karzai, who is a Pashtun, Afghanistan's largest ethnic group, is almost certain to win the run-off but the level of mass fraud alleged in the first round will cast a shadow over the new vote.