KABUL - President Hamid Karzai announced his support behind calls for UN mediation to resolve complaints about massive fraud in the election second round.

The situation is said to get critical as Abdullah Abdullah, with majority of the vote in the first round accused electoral officials of trying to rig the June 14 vote against him and boycott relation with electoral bodies.

The declaration has threatened what Western officials had hoped would be a peaceful transfer of authority, as Karzai is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.

During a meeting with clerics on Friday, Karzais said he met with UN officials and spoke to Abdullah on the telephone about the issue. (WNA)