The second article of the second part of the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between Afghanistan and the United States of America states:"Underscoring the central importance of the values and principles of the Afghan Constitution, Afghanistan reaffirms its strong commitment to inclusive and pluralistic democratic governance, including free, fair, and transparent elections in which all the people of Afghanistan participate freely without internal or external interference. Reaffirming its commitments made at the 2011 Bonn Conference, Afghanistan shall strengthen and improve its electoral process."

The next important national election in Afghanistan will be the 2014 or 2013- if it is held earlier than provided for in the constitution- presidential and provincial council elections. Fundamental reforms do not appear to be in the offing.

The government does not show any interest in electoral reform processes despite its commitment to strengthen and improve the electoral process. If we hear voices calling for electoral reforms, they are coming from the civil society organizations and political parties and coalitions.

Does it mean that President Karzai thinks that the electoral process does not need any improvement? Or does it mean that he is intent upon manipulating the elections to cling to power directly or indirectly? He does not hesitate to call himself a democratically elected president.

But he must know that democracy cannot be reduced to elections- even if elections are considered as a major and fundamental component of a democracy, it is not fraudulent elections such as the one that led to the reelection of Mr. Karzai in 2009, in which more than a million votes were tossed away.

As a result, president Karzai had less than 50 percent of votes and consequently less than the percent that was required to constitutionally declare him as the legitimate and democratically elected President of Afghanistan. But he was, anyhow, declared as the president after all the controversies and scandals that surrounded the votes that were counted in his favor.

President Karzai should think of mustering the support of tribal elders, mullahs and tribal chiefs for his favorite candidate in the 2014 elections. Though Mr. Karzai was fraudulently, not democratically, elected, he can begin to think democratically and allow for fundamental reforms to the electoral law and processes, allowing for a role of political parties to play in the elections, instead of tribal elders and chiefs. Such an initiative will help hopefully wash away the stains of frauds that President Karzai has got on his name.