US pursues talks to help solve Afghan poll crisis

US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday held a second day of talks in Afghanistan to try to end a row over the result of the presidential poll.
Kerry is meeting candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, who accuse each other of electoral fraud, at the US compound in the capital, Kabul.
Ghani, the winner of preliminary results in the second round, has backed an "extensive audit" of votes.
Afghanistan's current President Hamid Karzai, who came to office after the US-led overthrow of the Taliban, is stepping down after more than 10 years.
US officials said they were hoping for a breakthrough soon after the first day of negotiations remained inconclusive.
The US Secretary of State, who arrived in Kabul on Friday in a hastily arranged visit, earlier welcomed Ghani's backing of an audit.
"No-one is declaring victory at this time. The results have yet to be finalised and so those questions have to be resolved and I'm very appreciative that Dr Ghani respects that," Kerry told journalists ahead of starting the talks.
The US has been concerned at reports that Abdullah, who preliminary results suggest lost the election, is planning a "parallel government".
Results announced by Afghanistan's election officials give Ghani 56.44% of votes in the 14 June run-off, with Abdullah gaining 43.45%.
The results were markedly different from those achieved in the first round of voting, held in April. In that round, Abdullah fell just short of an outright majority, with 44.9%, with Ghani second at 31.5%.
Votes are already being re-checked at more than 7,000 polling stations - nearly a third of the total number. Correspondents say recounts could significantly alter the final result, due on 22 July.