KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Thursday said he opposes the presence of foreign advisers to the country's Election Complaints Commission (ECC), but was open to foreigners monitoring the election process.
In a joint press conference with NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Kabul, Karzai said that as Afghanistan's moves towards a more independent government, the need for foreigners work as advisors at the ECC goes against the national sovereignty of the country.

"The presence of two foreigners at the Election Complaints Commission hearing is a national matter, as Afghanistan is moving towards independence and approval of constitution," Karzai told reporters in Kabul.
"The presence of foreigners in our election process is against the national sovereignty of Afghanistan," he said.

Karzai said foreign advisors previously worked with the commission with the approval of the President because Afghanistan was passing through a transitional period with the commission under temporary laws, and so support from the United Nations was needed.

"After the inauguration of the constitution and moving towards law enforcement, the presence of two or three foreign advisors at the Election Complaints Commission is under serious discussion with the international community.

We are not ready to accept this. Our election will be independent," Karzai said, adding that the foreigners can monitor from election process but any form of other involvement is against the constitution.
On the upcoming US presidential election on November 6, Karzai said that the outcome will have no effect on Afghanistan.

"I don't think that US presidential election will have any impacts on Afghanistan. US policy has already been made and any government and president will follow that. It doesn't matter to us," he said.
"Afghanistan is not intervening in the US election. We hope they don't intervene in our election," he added.

Afghanistan's next presidential election is expected early 2014. The exact date will be announced next month but conflict over the new election law which is still to be approved by lawmakers is already on the rise.
The major challenges ahead of the commission include ensuring a fair and transparent election amid troublesome security in many parts of the country. (Tolo News)