Afghan President Hamid Karzai swore in the country`s parliament in Kabul after threatening to delay its opening pending an investigation into charges of irregularities in September elections.
"The seating of parliament is a significant milestone in the progression of Afghanistan`s democracy and an extremely important moment for Afghans who bravely cast their votes last September," said US National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer.
"The United States joins the Afghan people in celebrating today`s achievement and we encourage the Afghans to begin an inclusive dialogue on electoral reform."
Nearly a quarter of the five million votes cast in the parliamentary elections were thrown out, and there were relatively few wins by Pashtuns, Afghanistan`s biggest ethnic group of Karzai`s power base.
Karzai has not endorsed the final outcome, and established a special tribunal to investigate claims of election fraud. The new MPs have demanded that the court be scrapped.
The United States, the United Nations and the European Union all welcomed Karzai`s decision to relent and finally open parliament.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley earlier welcomed the inauguration, saying the United States hoped all branches of government would "work together to advance the priorities of the Afghan people." (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
