[ Afghan Elections 2004-2005 ]

Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai has claimed victory in his country's first popular presidential election, "The Daily Telegraph" reported on 25 October. "I am feeling very good," Karzai told the London daily, adding: "What is good [is] that I won without a real campaign or using any money or the use of government machinery. It was a clear pure win and a vote of the people." The UN-Afghan Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) has not officially announced a victor in order to get all of the votes counted and to complete the final report looking into allegations of electoral fraud. The report is expected to be completed by 28 October. According to the JEMB on 24 October, with 94.3 percent of the vote counted, Karzai was first with 55.3 percent of the vote, while his closest rival, Mohammad Yunos Qanuni, was second with 16.2 percent of the vote (http://www.afg-electionresults.org). (Amin Tarzi)