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"The thrust of the meeting was to respect the electoral process, let it take its course and be patient and to respect the results, whatever they are," the US official said.
The official said Holbrooke reiterated to each candidate the public US line that Washington was neutral in the race and steered clear of recommending any new vote while waiting for complete results.
Karzai, who has led Afghanistan since the aftermath of the 2001 US-led military operation that ousted the Taliban, enjoys a narrow lead as results trickle in.
His main competitor, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, has alleged widespread state-engineered fraud but has urged his supporters to be patient and work through the electoral system.
Karzai enjoyed a warm relationship with former US president George W. Bush, with whom he consulted regularly by videoconference.
Karzai's relationship is widely seen as cooler with Bush's successor Barack Obama.
Members of the Obama team have alleged a lack of action against corruption and were taken aback that Karzai picked as his running mate Mohammed Qasim Fahim, who is accused of grave human rights abuses during Afghanistan's nearly three decades of war.
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The official said Holbrooke reiterated to each candidate the public US line that Washington was neutral in the race and steered clear of recommending any new vote while waiting for complete results.
Karzai, who has led Afghanistan since the aftermath of the 2001 US-led military operation that ousted the Taliban, enjoys a narrow lead as results trickle in.
His main competitor, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, has alleged widespread state-engineered fraud but has urged his supporters to be patient and work through the electoral system.
Karzai enjoyed a warm relationship with former US president George W. Bush, with whom he consulted regularly by videoconference.
Karzai's relationship is widely seen as cooler with Bush's successor Barack Obama.
Members of the Obama team have alleged a lack of action against corruption and were taken aback that Karzai picked as his running mate Mohammed Qasim Fahim, who is accused of grave human rights abuses during Afghanistan's nearly three decades of war.
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