PARIS: Top envoys for Afghanistan gathered in Paris today to chart a way forward after claims of massive fraud cast a pall over the presidential election and a suicide bomb attack left more than 20 dead. US special representative Richard Holbrooke joined counterparts from 26 countries and organisations for the event.

“The international community remains at their side to help them take control of their destiny,” said French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

The meeting comes two days after the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan presented a gloomy assessment of the nearly eight-year war to defeat the Taliban and called for a shift in strategy. Already, this year has been a record-breaking year for the number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan and questions are being asked over the fate of billions of dollars in international aid poured into the country.

Afghanistan’s election commission is investigating more than 2,500

complaints of irregularities from the August 20 vote and preliminary results are not expected to be announced before Monday.

With ballots from nearly half the polling stations

announced, President Hamid Karzai was leading his main rival Abdullah Abdullah, but he was still short of the majority needed to avoid a run-off.

Washington’s relations with Karzai have grown increasingly strained while public opinion in the US and Europe has turned cold over what is seen as an ill-defined Afghan campaign.

Holbrooke took pains to insist that Washington was neutral in the campaign and that allegations of ballot fraud would be addressed. “The United States totally respects the process. We don’t have a candidate. The United States and the international community will work with whoever is elected president of Afghanistan and if President Karzai is re-elected, that’s fine,” said Holbrooke. The Afghan vote could lead to a runoff, amid reports that Holbrooke had pushed Karzai to agree to a second round of voting against ex-foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah during a recent tense meeting.

Some observers see a new round as an attempt to give the election greater legitimacy, defuse the threat of post-election violence and make it easier for the West to line up behind the elected president.