London:
Reactions from the US and UK emerged on Sunday after Afghan President Hamid Karzai's challenger withdrew from next weekend's run-off. This effectively hands the incumbent a victory but raises doubts about the credibility of the government.
While the US has said it will support the next Afghan President, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged Hamid Karzai that if he returned to power for a second term he must bring about some major changes.
"Once a decision is made about the second round elections President Karzai or whoever is president, will want to unify the country. And they will have to have a manifesto that is capable of that unity," Brown said, adding, "That means tackling corruption, getting the best people into government and not just getting friends or cronies, at the same time it means building up the local government - because local government is most important to most of the Afghan people and bringing in those elements who have been against the government but who might now be prepared to work with it."
Abdullah withdrew after President Hamid Karzai snubbed a series of demands promoted as a bid to avoid a repeat of massive first-round fraud, with the challenger saying he saw no point in standing in the second round.