UN: Afghan election 'positive'

Afghanistan’s ability to even hold recent elections shows it is starting to take control of its own future, a United Nations special envoy said, as UN Security Council members discussed the war-ravaged country’s most recent attempt at democracy.

The September 18 parliamentary elections “mark an important step towards advancing Afghanistan’s political process and development, in particular the strengthening of its democratic institutions”, said Steffan de Mistura, UN special representative to Afghanistan.