13 October 2004 -- Ethnic Uzbek General Abdul Rashid Dostum, a leading rival to Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai in the race for the presidency, called off his boycott of the 9 October election today, Reuters reported.
With ballot counting expected to begin later today, Dostum joined challengers Mohammad Yunos Qanuni and Mas'uda Jalal in agreeing to recognize the outcome of the country's first-ever direct presidential vote.
His spokesman, Faizullah Zaki, said that Dostum believes the election is a major achievement but that there were violations and that they should be considered, the news agency reported.
A panel appointed by the UN-Afghan Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) is in Kabul today to assess complaints of irregularities.
JEMB member David Avery said late yesterday that vote counting might start today. Ballots are still arriving from remote areas of the country.
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